Abstract
This article and the one that follows report on the issues and implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Part I focuses on how the ADA affects workers, employers, and the public. Jobs must be analyzed to determine their "essential functions," and whether there's a "reasonable accommodation" that will allow a disabled person to perform those essential functions without imposing an "undue hardship" on the employer. To prepare for the ADA, employers should: completely review all job descriptions; establish and maintain a record of their handicapped employees; develop an "ADA expert" in the human-resources department; revamp hiring practices; begin a review of their health-insurance and benefits plans; and plan or implement training programs designed to educate managers about compliance and how to deal effectively with handicapped employees in the workplace. This article includes sources of additional information.