The Americans with Disabilities Act: A review and synthesis of the legal literature with implications for practitioners

Abstract

Purpose

Important Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)‐related issues that derive from the case law are described and analyzed with the aim of providing guidance both for those responsible for establishing organizational policies, procedures, and practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 50 influential court cases spanning the past ten years are reviewed and synthesized to better understand the current and future impact of the ADA.

Findings

Better understanding of ADA can help employers both avoid costly litigation and take advantage of a segment of the US labor market that has not yet been fully utilized.

Originality/value

This paper helps practitioner and researchers better understand the organizational implications of the ADA. Better understanding the current case law should lead to employer policies, procedures, and practices that facilitate the better utilization of the qualified disabled work force without compromising employer concerns related to productivity and other job‐related outcomes.

Citation

Erdos Knapp, D., Faley, R.H. and Long, L.K. (2006), "The Americans with Disabilities Act: A review and synthesis of the legal literature with implications for practitioners", Equal Opportunities International, Vol. 25 No. 5, pp. 354-372. https://doi.org/10.1108/02610150610706690