Title:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Age Discrimination in
... [Show More] Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), and the Rehabil
Instructions:
Diversity of the healthcare workforce is a current trend as detailed in Module/Week 1. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Select 1 law you believe is important to employees and provide a brief description of that law and its impact on employees. How can association policies or employer policies be used to supplement legal requirements if an organization would like to protect its employees or clients from discrimination? Defend your answer(s).
Your replies to your classmates' threads must be substantive.
Suggested Sources
Pynes, J. E., & Lombardi, D. N. (2011). Human resources management for health care organizations: A strategic approach. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 9780470873557.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990 is a federal legislation adopted for the protection of people with disabilities (PwDs) against discrimination. The Act prohibits discrimination against PwDs regarding access to transportation, communications, public accommodations, employment opportunities, and access to government programs and services. ADA ensures that employers cannot discriminate against job seekers and employees with disabilities. It offers qualified employees or job seekers with disabilities legal protection from discrimination in the course of recruitment or work. The ADA requires the employer to provide reasonable accommodation to the job applicant or employee to enable him/her to enjoy equal employment opportunities like all other applicants/employees. Such accommodations range from modifications in work schedule to the purchase or installation of special equipment.
The implementation of ADA has impacted employees significantly. According to Greenberg and Carlos (2015), the implementation of the ADA granted PwDs an increased access to public accommodations, services, and opportunities by making it illegal to discriminate based on disability. The definition of what disability means helped employers establish employment and HRM policies that guarantee the protection of people living with disabilities. Thompson (2015) notes that the ADA has improved the wellbeing of PwDs at the workplace significantly. For instance, requirements for the provision of communication aids and services for people with hearing, speech, and vision disabilities in public institutions and private businesses supports PwDs. Additionally, new buildings must meet the set accessibility standards recommended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that enforces among other laws, the ADA (Thompson, 2015). The implementation of the recommendations prevents the exclusion of PwDs and helps them perform assigned roles effectively. Additionally, the law ensures the HR professionals do not discriminate employees on the basis of disabilities. In doing so, it guarantees employees with disability protection from discrimination and support in the workplace, therefore, giving them an opportunity to enjoy equal opportunities.
Organizations that focus on protecting employees and clients from discrimination on the basis of disability adopt association or employer policies to supplement the ADA legal requirements. An organization or employer may implement workplace policies that protect people with disabilities from discrimination, mistreatment, or acts that threaten their health and wellbeing. The implementation of HR policies that guarantee the protection of the health and wellbeing of all employees is paramount. Employers have a right to enforce association or institutional policies through disciplinary measures including rejecting or terminating contracts with employees who threaten the safety or health of PwDs or other employees at the workplace. Importantly, organizations must set clear guidelines regarding the enforcement of the ADA on matters such as the provision of reasonable accommodation, undue hardship, and confidentiality. The commitment to implementing organizational and association anti-discrimination policies supports and supplements the ADA (Schrader, Malzer, & Bruyère, 2014).
Further, the anti-discrimination policies must cover critical aspects such as recruitment and hiring, training and employee development, firing, payment and benefits, career growth, and job allocations among others. People with disabilities are often discriminated against at organizations that do not have measures in place to prevent and address cases on discrimination based on a disability. The ADA has been criticized for a lack of clarity regarding its definition of a disability and the types of disabilities that are covered by the law. Employers/organization must strengthen their anti-discrimination laws and expand their definitions of disabilities, protections, and provisions to support PwDs. The definition of physical and mental impairment leaves out conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and cancer among others. An employer can strengthen the policies to include aspects of physical or psychological impairment not covered by the ADA and protect competent employees from discrimination (Greenberg & Carlos, 2015; Schrader, Malzer, & Bruyère, 2014). A workplace environment and policies that support PwDs are essential for supplementing the ADA.
References
Greenberg, B., & Carlos, M. (2015). The americans with disabilities act (ADA) at 25 years. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from [Show Less]