Americans with Disabilities Act under serious attack

[zzz]

From HuffPost:

The GOP Wants To Gut The Americans With Disabilities Act

And from NBC News:

The GOP's H.R. 620 will gut the Americans With Disabilities Act, pushing disability rights back to 1989

From the NBC News article:

Currently under the ADA, if a business is found to be in violation of the ADA — say, its entrance is not wheelchair-accessible — the disabled person barred access can file a lawsuit to get the business to comply. H.R. 620 would instead require a disabled person to file “written, technical notice” (usually requiring a lawyer), wait 60 days for a response, then wait 120 more days to see if “substantial progress” is made on remedying the violation, before the issue can even be brought to court.

H.R. 620 pushes the clock on disability rights back to 1989, making violating the ADA virtually consequence-free. If passed by the Senate [it has already been passed by the House], businesses will soon be able to wait until they get complaints to even consider accessibility, just as they did before the law existed. Andy why not? There is no reason to think ahead. Why would a business voluntarily put in a ramp or elevator when it can just hang around and see if it receives a complaint, then wait another six months before even beginning to make progress toward building it? Meanwhile, disabled people would have to wait months or even years for access to places and services.

At best, such a change could prevent disabled people from traveling, shopping, eating out, going to the movies and socializing with friends and family. At worst, it is life-threatening. What if not malls, but schools, doctors’ offices, and hospitals are the businesses in noncompliance? 180 days is an entire school year lost. One cannot wait six months to go to the doctor, or the ER, or birth a child; one cannot give written technical notice to a fire and ask it to wait until someone gets around to installing an accessible emergency exit or flashing alarm.

 

[Alvin]

At best, such a change could prevent disabled people from traveling, shopping, eating out, going to the movies and socializing with friends and family. At worst, it is life-threatening. What if not malls, but schools, doctors’ offices, and hospitals are the businesses in noncompliance? 180 days is an entire school year lost. One cannot wait six months to go to the doctor, or the ER, or birth a child; one cannot give written technical notice to a fire and ask it to wait until someone gets around to installing an accessible emergency exit or flashing alarm.

This is the point, voters of the current administration buy into the if your disabled its either your fault or too bad for you mindset. They hate healthcare as well which will lead to a higher population of people with disabilities (among other things)

 

[arewenearlythereyet]

Perhaps the next step can be a tax break for barbed wire and other security measures to be installed to really keep those malingering bastards away from decent folk and their right to make profit before anything else?

In fact why not dispense with disabled children at the school gates before they become adults and a real burden on companies profitability. Hopefully soon the teachers can just shoot them before they get past the school gates?

Sorry to be so sarcastic but I am deeply troubled by some of recent events and the rather bonkers decision making that's going on...it all seems without intelligence or moral leadership ....I can no longer believe what is happening to be honest and can't even anticipate what will happen next...it feels like dystopian fiction

 

[meandthecat]

I am deeply troubled by some of recent events

I can no longer believe what is happening to be honest and can't even anticipate what will happen next...it feels like dystopian fiction

I so agree with you, I thought it was the ME causing my dystopian nightmare till I recovered and it was still there.

What we see on the otherside of the pond is often only a little ahead of whats happening here.
The Disability Discrimination Act helped me keep my job and get through the worst, in a post Brexit economy will that be just another impediment profit to be swept away?

 

[arewenearlythereyet]

Yes I have no doubt that for some Brexit means a sweeping away of a lot of what some would call "red tape" all in the interest of improving British business. The easy targets will be the sick and vulnerable. It's already difficult to prove an employer is behaving in a discriminatory way unless you want to go to court of course and then you will struggle to find legal insurance that will cover your costs (circa £20k).

I can't imagine what the system will be like when employers are emboldened further by a loosening of these laws.