Justice Department Releases ADA Employment Video

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department announced today the release of a new video aimed at educating employers about the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ten Employment Myths: Information about the Americans with Disabilities Act uses a question-and-answer format to express common misconceptions, fears and false assumptions that many employers have about employees with disabilities. The video refutes these unfounded myths, explains the ADA in common sense terms and highlights the advantages of hiring qualified persons with disabilities.

"With more students with disabilities attending colleges and universities than ever before, employers should update their thinking about this highly qualified labor pool. Ten Employment Myths will help employers understand how unfair it is when employees with disabilities are denied jobs because of employers’ misconceptions and unfounded assumptions," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month.

This fully accessible seventeen-minute video can be used for ADA training as well as for presentation to local Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, merchants associations, and similar organizations. Single copies in DVD format can be ordered through the toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY). An online streaming version will be available soon on the ADA Web site at www.ada.gov.

The new video is a companion to Ten Small Business Mistakes, which dispels common misunderstandings that many small businesses have about title III of the ADA. Both videos were produced for the Justice Department’s ADA Technical Assistance Program, which educates the public about the ADA to increase voluntary compliance and is an integral component of the Department’s overall ADA enforcement efforts.

The ADA guarantees individuals with disabilities equal access to employment, state and local government services, and services that businesses provide to the public. Those interested in finding out more can call the ADA Information Line or access the ADA Web site.