Ask About the ADA Podcast: Recent Episodes
Northeast ADA Center
The podcast answers frequently asked questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act and explores the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities under the law.
Can current employers refuse to hire you based on your current medication? Can ADA Centers make referrals to attorneys? In this edition of Ask About the ADA, Joe Zesski answers these important questions for many with disabilities. For a transcript of today's episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu
Planning on riding a traveling carnival ride or staying in that cozy bed and breakfast with the family dog? Joe Zesski answers questions related to disability and accessibility regarding these two questions in this edition of Ask About the ADA. For a transcript of today's episode, feel free to email northeastada@cornell.edu
In this edition of Ask About the ADA, Joe Zesski discusses disability laws, acquiring accommodations, and tips for acquiring said accommodations for students on college campuses. For a transcript of this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu.
This episode of Ask About the ADA sees Joe Zesski go in-depth about accommodations college students acquire on campus, from what they are specifically to if the student and administration disagree about accommodations and how to proceed. For a transcript of this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu
What are the disability education laws that apply to students in the K-12 education system, and how do they impact pupils in the classroom and beyond? Joe Zesski answers this and more in this edition of Ask About the ADA! For a transcript of this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu.
Can you request ADA funding for your organization or appeal to an ADA agency in the event of discrimination? Joe Zesski responds to these questions and more in this week's Ask About the ADA episode! For a transcript of this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu.
When agreements are made over accommodations, are they permanent? This week’s Ask About the ADA episode sees Joe Zesski answer whether accommodations last forever or must be continuously discussed and altered. For a transcript of this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu.
Do swimming pool lifts have to be at every pool in a place like a resort? Joe Zesski answers the question in this week’s Ask About the ADA episode on whether all pools need lifts or only one must be nearby to service all of them. For a transcript of this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu.
Can a service dog be barred from entry to a beach? In this episode of Ask About the ADA, Joe Zesski answers whether a service animal can join their owner to enjoy the waves and sand in the summer sun. For a transcript to this episode, please email northeastada@cornell.edu.
In this episode of Ask About the ADA, Christopher Sweet of the Northeast ADA joins Joe Zesski in talking about a service animal resource created by the Northeast ADA center, Service Animals in Public Spaces. This resource is for businesses and individuals who use service animals so that each know their rights and responsibilities to access in public places. The toolkit can be found on the Northeast ADA website or at www.serviceanimalquestions.org
The territory affiliates of the Northeast ADA join Joe Zesski to discuss barriers to transportation for people with disabilities in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
People with disabilities can face unique challenges in preparing for natural disasters. In this edition of Ask About the ADA, Joe Zesski speaks with the Northeast ADA's affiliates from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. They discuss the experience of people with disabilities in weathering natural disasters in the territories and lessons learned during hurricanes, earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Residents with disabilities in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands face barriers to fully participating in the education system. In this edition of the podcast taken from a Northeast ADA webinar, Joe Zesski is joined by Mildred Gomez, Archie Jennings, and Nellyber Correa to discuss what challenges exist as well as the state of educational access in the territories for people with disabilities.
Have you ever wondered how accessibility, employment protections, or other ADA issues play out in US territories like the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico? People with disabilities in US territories are still protected by the ADA, but they often face unique issues, like limited transportation options or the lack of Social Security Disability Insurance coverage.
In this edition of Ask About the ADA taken from a Northeast ADA webinar with our affiliates, Archie Jennings, Mildred Gomez, and Nellyber Correa explain some of the challenges experienced by people with disabilities in our region.
NortheastADA.org
Can an employer ask an employee for medical documentation multiple times to 'recertify' a disability? What is an employer's obligation if they suspect that an employee needs reasonable accommodations? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about when an employer can ask for documentation about a disability, and what to do when an employee does not disclose a disability.
NortheastADA.org
How should employees with multiple disabilities disclose to their employers— do you have to tell your employer about everything? Are employers required to make accommodations for non-essential job tasks? This edition of Ask About the ADA covers accommodations questions for when multiple disabilities are present and impact tasks on the job.
NortheastADA.org
Have you ever wondered what makes a beach or park accessible? Public recreation spaces must be accessible under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but it can be difficult to figure out exactly what the requirements are. This edition of Ask About the ADA features a panel with experts from the Northeast ADA and our Puerto Rico affiliate MAVI about how recreational spaces can provide equal access to everyone, including people with disabilities.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to an organization if they have an office in the US? Are there international certifications for products that are ADA-compliant? Determining when and where the ADA applies can be difficult, so this edition of Ask About the ADA is all about the law's jurisdiction.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act cover people with disabilities of all ages? How does the ADA protect people recovering from drug addiction? Does the ADA protect ongoing drug use? This edition of Ask About the ADA features the last segment of the Northeast ADA's "What's the Question?" webinar and covers questions about age and the ADA, as well as protections for people recovering from addiction.
NortheastADA.org
What should you do to make a meeting accessible? What kind of assistive technologies are available on mobile phones? Accessible technology changes just as quickly as other areas of innovations in tech, and this edition of Ask About the ADA is about the ways you can ensure everyone has access to online communications.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act grant housing protections, such as accessible residential parking, to renters with disabilities? What about public beaches, do they need to be accessible? Determining physical accessibility requirements under the ADA can be tricky, but this edition of Ask About the ADA examines two places where equal access may be required.
NortheastADA.org
Are there rules for service animal handlers under the Americans with Disabilities Act? Are automatic doors always required? This edition of Ask About the ADA covers two commonly asked questions about service animals and physical accessibility.
NortheastADA.org
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employees with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the workplace— but what happens when an accommodation is unreasonable? Not every request is approved, so this edition of Ask About the ADA covers some questions about what makes an accommodation reasonable.
NortheastADA.org
If a company has daily production quotas, do employees with disabilities need to meet the same standards as other employees? Can job applications ask about a candidate's disability? This edition of Ask About the ADA answers a couple of tough questions about employment under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
NortheastADA.org
Most service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act are dogs, but the law allows one exception: miniature horses. Jessica Wellman trains miniature horses as service animals, and she has tails to tell about her own service mini horse, Honey.
In this edition of Ask About the ADA, the Northeast ADA Center interviews Jessica about how miniature horses serve people with disabilities, how their specialties differ from service dogs, the extensive training process, and so much more.
Learn more about Jessica's training organization, Procyon Training.
NortheastADA.org
Does an employer have to accommodate an employee who needs an accommodation in order to better support a family member with a disability? Does a college student have to pay for a standard meal plan if they have requested an exemption? On this week's addition of Ask About the ADA, we explore these questions that we have received at the Northeast ADA's technical assistance telephone line.
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If you had a disability in the past, do you qualify for Americans with Disabilities Act protections now? What kind of information do you need to provide to an employer to demonstrate a record of a disability or an ongoing disability? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some of the ways people document disabilities with their employers, whether or not the disability is ongoing.
NortheastADA.org
Workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities can be hard to navigate normally, and COVID-19 has certainly added complications. Are employers responsible for providing personal assistance services to employees with disabilities? How should employers handle job coaches who count toward a business's reduced-density requirements? This edition of Ask About the ADA clarifies some of the requirements for accommodations involving job coaches and personal assistance at work.
NortheastADA.org
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employees with disabilities are entitled to request reasonable accommodations at work, which can help them be more effective at their jobs. However, when requesting accommodations, obstacles and resistance may arise from employers who might not understand the ADA. How should employees advocate for themselves? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about self-advocacy in the workplace and knowing your rights to reasonable accommodations.
NortheastADA.org
Mental health is highly stigmatized, but many mental health conditions qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. People with psychiatric conditions often have a right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace, just like people with more visible disabilities. What kind of accommodations could help employees with mental health conditions? This edition of Ask About the ADA is a webinar archive reviewing employer responsibilities and the rights of employees with psychiatric disabilities.
Watch more archived webinars from the Northeast ADA.
NortheastADA.org
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to train a mobility guide dog? In this Ask About the ADA interview, Ben Cawley, an instructor for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, explains how his organization trains guide dogs and pairs them with compatible handlers. What kind of tasks can these dogs help accomplish? What breeds make good guide dogs? How long is their work life? Listen to the full interview for the answer to these questions and more.
Visit the Guiding Eyes for the Blind website.
NortheastADA.org
"The ADA does require us as people with disabilities and as advocates to be bringing these cases. I always tell people there's no "ADA police" that are going around and citing violations-- it is really incumbent upon us as a community to be bringing these cases, to be making good law, to be pushing the envelope, to be educating and bringing awareness to these issues."
Rachel Weisberg is a supervising attorney for Equip for Equality, a protection and advocacy center in Illinois. On this edition of Ask About the ADA, she explains how some ADA complaints are resolved, highlights some of the most recent important ADA cases, and tells us how the law pushes us to be problem-solvers and advocates.
NortheastADA.org
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a celebration of employees with disabilities and the policies that help them engage in the workforce. Why celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month? On this edition of Ask About the ADA, we explore the evolution of this special month and ways you can promote equal opportunity in your workplace.
Explore the Office of Disability Policy and Department of Labor's website for more information about National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
NortheastADA.org
Can employers force employees with disabilities to return to in-person work? Are schools required to provide students with virtual learning options? Can people with disabilities get accommodations under vaccine mandates? In this edition of Ask About the ADA, we turn to the Northeast ADA Center's Technical Assistance staff with tough questions about Americans with Disabilities Act rules in the midst of COVID-19. The pandemic has put our world through constant change, but the ADA's requirements for equal access and reasonable accommodations stay the same.
Visit the Northeast ADA's page with additional COVID-19 resources.
NortheastADA.org
Many conversations about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) revolve around the employment, accommodations, and accessibility provisions outlined in Titles I, II, & III. But what is included in Titles IV & V of the law? This edition of Ask About the ADA includes a webinar archive explaining the wide variety of issues covered in Titles IV & V.
Watch more archived webinars from the Northeast ADA Center.
NortheastADA.org
Many conversations about the Americans with Disabilities Act center on the accessibility of public accommodations. But what are public accommodations? This edition of Ask About the ADA features an excerpt from the Northeast ADA Center's webinar about Title III of the law, which describes how public facilities should be made accessible for people with disabilities.
View more Northeast ADA webinar archives.
NortheastADA.org
What does the Americans with Disabilities Act require of state and local governments? Do services like public transportation or rec center classes have to be accessible?
In this clip of the ADA 101.3 State and Local Governments webinar, Joe Zesski and Jennifer Perry of the Northeast ADA Center talk about Title II of the law, which requires equal access for all state and local government services.
NortheastADA.org
Can businesses charge for accessible parking? Can facilities put time limits on accessible parking spaces? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some commonly asked questions about the Title II requirement of equal access in parking.
Read about parking fees for accessible spaces or the rules for time limits for accessible parking.
Review other parking and transportation resources from the Northeast ADA Center.
NortheastADA.org
The religious exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act can be confusing. Do churches have to offer employment accommodations? What about hospitals operated by religious organizations-- do they need to be accessible or offer accommodations? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about the obligations of religious organizations.
Read more about the obligations of hospitals operated by religious organizations here.
Read more about the obligations of churches as employers here.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act cover people with mental illnesses? How has COVID-19 impacted people with mental illnesses, particularly those in virtual learning settings? How should college students ask for accommodations on campus? Where can students go for mental health resources?
This edition of Ask About the ADA features an interview with Brittany Stone, a lecturer in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling in the School of Health Profession at Rutgers University, who specializes in mental health and the ADA on campus.
Read the Northeast ADA's blog about mental health accommodations here.
Read the National Association on Mental Illness's guide to college student mental health here.
NortheastADA.org
When a doctor treats a deaf patient, who is responsible for effective communication? Does the medical provide have to pay for the interpreter? Can doctors ask patients to bring their own interpreters? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about people with disabilities' rights to effective communication in medical settings.
Read more about a medical provider's responsibilities to provide effective communication here.
Read more about patients with disabilities and who provides interpreters here.
NortheastADA.org
Are service animals allowed in disaster shelters? Can you put your service animal in a shopping cart, or on a restaurant seat? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some of the places service animals CAN and CANNOT go.
Read more about service animals in disaster shelters here.
Read about service animals in other settings, like public transit, here.
NortheastADA.org
Are there state laws that protect people with disabilities? How is the Americans with Disabilities Act enforced? Can I submit anonymous complaints? This edition of Ask About the ADA explains some of the legal mechanisms that protect the rights of people with disabilities.
Read more about state laws covering disability civil rights here.
Read more about ADA enforcement mechanisms here.
Read more about submitting ADA complaints to the Department of Justice here. Read about submitting complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission here.
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In this special edition of Ask About the ADA, we visit with three members of Movimiento para el Alcance de Vida Independiente, or MAVI, the Northeast ADA Center's affiliate center serving people with disabilities in Puerto Rico. Listen to Mildred Gomez, Yessica Guardiola, and Nelly Correa describe their roles in addressing the unique challenges of life with a disability in PR— from its unique geography to severe weather, life on the island is very different from the mainland US for people with disabilities.
Learn more about MAVI at their website, mavi-pr.org.
NortheastADA.org
Many people are familiar with rules for accessible parking in lots, but are there standards for street parking under the Americans with Disabilities Act? What happens when a city service, like trash disposal, is inaccessible? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about accessible street parking and determining when a city becomes responsible for making an accommodation in their service.
Read more from the Northeast ADA Center about accessible street parking.
Read more from the Northeast ADA Center about accessible municipal services.
Read the Public Rights Of Way Accessible Guidelines regarding on-street parking.
www.access-board.gov/
NortheastADA.org
What type of mobility aids should be allowed at an outdoor concert? Can campers request electricity as a disability accommodation on a campground? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about accommodation obligations at outdoor event spaces.
Read more frequently-asked Americans with Disabilities Act questions here.
NortheastADA.org
Can a vocational training center deny service because of a disability? Can employers stop employees from using job coaches at work? This edition of Ask About the ADA covers two frequently asked questions from vocational rehabilitation counselors.
Read more frequently asked Americans with Disabilities Act questions here.
NortheastADA.org
On this special edition of Ask About the ADA, we visit with Archie Jennings, the lead attorney at the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands, an affiliate of the Northeast ADA. Archie has more than 40 years of disability law and advocacy experience, and he tells us about the specific issues facing people with disabilities in the US Virgin Islands.
Learn more about the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands at drcvi.org.
NortheastADA.org
Are religious organizations subject to the ADA for reasonable accommodations? What about physical accessibility in places of worship? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about how the ADA applies to churches and other places of worship.
NortheastADA.org
Can an airline require paperwork for your service animal? Can your landlord require a doctor's note for your emotional support animal? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about when service and support animals might require documentation.
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What happens when an elevator breaks in a transit station? Can transportation service providers deny service based on wheelchair weight? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some special situations in transit accessibility.
Read more about transit station accessibility here.
Read more about transit wheelchair weight standards here.
NortheastADA.org
The ADA's definition of disability is often different from definitions used by service providers, federal programs, and advocates. Are you covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act?
This episode features audio from the Northeast ADA Center's March webinar, ADA 101.1: Defining Disability. Watch the full webinar here.
NortheastADA.org
Do videos for college classes have to include closed captioning? Do courts have to provide lawyers with accessible versions of legal documents? This edition of Ask About the ADA includes questions about accessibility for academic and legal materials online.
Read more about college course closed captioning here.
Read more about legal document accessibility here.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to websites operated by the federal government? What is the difference between closed and open captioning? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about web and online video accessibility.
Read more about accessibility on federal websites here.
Read more about video captioning here.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act change the rules for hiring a person with a disability? Do employers have to choose someone with a disability over someone without a disability? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about the tough questions involved in hiring under the ADA.
Read more about hiring standards for people with disabilities here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/does-the-ada-make-it-so-i-have-to-hire-people-with-disabilities-that-are-not-qualified-to-do-the-job
Read more about hiring people with versus without disabilities here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/if-i-have-multiple-applicants-for-my-open-position-and-one-has-a-disability-am-i-required-under-the-ada-to-offer-the-position-to-that-individual-first
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to websites? Must colleges provide virtual classes in an accessible format? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about web accessibility requirements.
Read more about the ADA and website here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/does-the-ada-apply-to-websites
Read more about virtual accessibility in education here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/does-an-online-college-class-have-to-be-accessible
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act protect employees with disabilities from being fired? Do employers need to adopt different performance standards for people with disabilities? This week's episode is all about the ADA and employment.
For more, read about whether employees with disabilities can be fired here.
For more, read about whether employees with disabilities can have different work standards here.
NortheastADA.org
On this edition of Ask About the ADA, we answer whether or not the ADA applies to apartment complexes and condos. We then touch on a person with a disability requesting a reserved parking spot at their apartment.
For more, you can read about the ADA, apartments, and condo here or about Reserved Parking for Renters here.
www.northeastada.org
In this episode, we explore the Northeast ADA's Technical Assistance service. Have a question about accessible parking, reasonable employment accommodations, or other ways the Americans with Disabilities Act impacts your life? The TA team will quickly help you find an answer.
NortheastADA.org
Does the Americans with Disabilities Act provide reasonable accommodation forms? How long should it take to get your reasonable accommodation? This edition of Ask About the ADA helps explain how employees with disabilities can arrange reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
Read more about reasonable accommodation procedures here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/does-the-ada-provide-reasonable-accommodation-forms
Read more about how long a reasonable accommodation might take here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/how-long-should-it-take-to-get-a-reasonable-accommodation-for-my-job
NortheastADA.org
Do service animals in training count as full service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act? Do service animals have to wear a vest to be covered by the law?
This edition of Ask About the ADA answers more common service animal questions, which can impact whether you are allowed to bring your animal into public spaces.
Read more on the question here:
https://www.northeastada.org/askada/is-a-service-animal-in-training-afforded-the-same-rights-as-a-fully-trained-service-animal
https://www.northeastada.org/askada/do-service-animals-need-to-wear-a-vest-that-identifies-them-as-service-animals
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In this episode, we explore the expertise and ADA backgrounds of Technical Assistance responders Jennifer Perry, Chris Sweet, and Joe Zesski. From New York City building accessibility codes to service animals in the public, they hear it all.
NortheastADA.org
Are service animals and emotional support animals the same thing? Should your service animal be certified? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some of the most important service animal information you should know.
Read the blog version of the service vs. emotional support animals question here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/the-difference-between-service-animals-emotional-support-animals-or-therapy-animals-can-be-confusing-are-they-all-covered-under-the-ada
Read the blog version of the service animal certification question here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/do-i-need-to-get-a-special-license-for-my-service-dog-to-be-registered-as-a-service-animal
NortheastADA.org
In this edition of Ask About the ADA, we talk about two questions that the Northeast ADA has received. Are automatic doors required under the ADA? And does a doctor office or medical facility have to assist a person to transfer to medical equipment if they cannot do so independently?
Read the blog version of the automatic doors question here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/i-own-a-small-corner-store-that-has-double-doors-at-the-entrance-recently-a-customer-told-me-that-since-the-doors-are-not-automatic-they-do-not-comply-with-the-ada-is-this-true
Read the blog version of the patient transfers question here: https://www.northeastada.org/askada/if-a-patient-who-is-a-wheelchair-user-comes-into-my-healthcare-practice-and-cannot-perform-a-transfer-without-assistance-do-we-have-to-help-them
NortheastADA.org
Welcome to Ask About the ADA from the Northeast ADA Center. When you tune into this podcast, you will learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act, an important civil rights law that protects the rights of people with disabilities to have equal opportunity and equal access in the US. Our goal is to help you understand the law and what it might mean for you and the people you know.