Georgia’s disability statute, the Georgia Equal Employment for Persons with Disabilities Code, closely parallels the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By complying with the ADA, Georgia employers also comply with Georgia’s requirements governing disabilities in the workplace. Under Georgia law, an individual with a disability is defined as “any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities and who has a record of such impairment.” Included in “major life activities” are functions such as:
Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the ADA is the most comprehensive federal civil rights statute protecting the rights of people with disabilities. The provisions of the ADA protect the rights of the estimated 54 million Americans with some form of disability. The ADA is divided into five titles, each addressing a unique area, including: