The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that
prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Title I of
the ADA makes it unlawful for any employer to discriminate
against a qualified applicant or employee because of a
disability in any aspect of employment. The ADA covers employers
with 15 or more employees, including state and local
governments. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act provides the
same protections for federal government employees and
applicants. In addition, most states have their own laws
prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of
disability. Some of these state laws may apply to smaller
employers and provide protections in addition to those available
under the ADA.