ADA Definitions
- Disability:
- Under the ADA a disability is defined as 1) any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities, 2) a record of such impairment, or 3) being regarded as having such an impairment.
- Substantially limited:
- An individual is substantially limited in a major life activity if the individual is unable to perform or is significantly limited in the ability to perform a major life activity compared to an average person in th3e general population. Examples of major life activities are caring for oneself, seeing, walking, speaking, hearing ,breathing or working.
- Qualified individual with a disability:
- An individual with a disability who has the experience, education and other skills to meet the requirements of the job that he or she holds or desires. The person can perform the essential functions of the job in question with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Essential functions:
- The fundamental job duties of a position. An individual must be able to perform the essential functions of a job with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Marginal functions:
- Functions that are peripheral or not fundamental to a position. A qualified applicant with a disability cannot be disqualified based on an inability to perform marginal functions of a job.
- Reasonable accommodations:
- An accommodation is a change made to help a qualified individual perform the essential functions of a job. The change does not have to be the most expensive or the one requested. It need only be an accommodation that will enable a person with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job. The accommodation is reasonable if it enables an employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job without creating an undue hardship.
- Undue hardship:
- An action that is excessively costly, extensive, substantial or disruptive, or an action that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business.