Video: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 at 30 years old

July 26, 2020

Thirty years ago today, the disability movement saw a major civil rights victory when the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed into law.

Before the ADA, there was no federal law preventing private employers (apart from companies doing business with the federal government) from discriminating against workers with disabilities. Though stigma persists, huge strides have been made over the last three decades. And as more and more workplaces see the real value of embracing difference, the balance continues to shift.

So what should HR managers know about the ADA as it turns 30? And given the state of the world in 2020, what can we expect from its future?

In this video, Yvonne Cowser Yancy, chief human resources officer at Understood, explains the importance of the ADA in the workplace.