UCPLA Parent Support and Advocacy Group
UCPLA Westside Parent Support and Advocacy Group for parents of children with cerebral palsy meet one Thursday evening a month (7:00 - 9:00 pm) to network, provide information and support for one another and to advocate for the needs of their children. A UCPLA staff member facilitates the meetings and invite speakers to address a variety of topics requested by participants. For further information, please contact Terri Lantz at (818) 782-2211 ext. 582 or tlantz@ucpla.org.
Advocacy Information
THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN EACH ELECTION IS 15 DAYS BEFORE THAT PARTICULAR ELECTION.
Voting is your right!
There are three special laws for disabled and elderly voters and they are:
Voting Rights Act of 1965 - Any voter requiring assistance may receive it from a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter's union.
Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 - Promotes the fundamental right to vote by requiring "access for elderly and disabled individuals to registration facilities and polling places in federal elections."
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - Requires public entities to provide program access, reasonable modification of policy, and auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford an individual with disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy, the benefits of service program or activity conducted by a public entity.
Find and contact your U.S. Senator or U.S. House of Representative Member at:
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress Find and contact your California State Assembly or State Senate Member at:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html
What is the ADA?
The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.
What employers are covered by Title I of the ADA, and when is the coverage effective?
The Title I employment provisions apply to private employers, State and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions. Employers with 25 or more employees were covered as of July 26, 1992. Employers with 15 or more employees were covered two years later, beginning July 26, 1994.
What practices and activities are covered by the employment nondiscrimination requirements?
The ADA prohibits discrimination in all employment practices, including job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. It applies to recruitment, advertising, tenure, layoff, leave, fringe benefits, and all other employment-related activities.
Who is protected from employment discrimination?
Employment discrimination is prohibited against "qualified individuals with disabilities." This includes applicants for employment and employees. An individual is considered to have a "disability" if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. Persons discriminated against because they have a known association or relationship with an individual with a disability also are protected.
The first part of the definition makes clear that the ADA applies to persons who have impairments and that these must substantially limit major life activities, such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working. An individual with epilepsy, paralysis, HIV infection, AIDS, a substantial hearing or visual impairment, mental retardation, or a specific learning disability is covered, but an individual with a minor, non-chronic condition of short duration, such as a sprain, broken limb, or the flu, generally would not be covered.
The second part of the definition protecting individuals with a record of a disability would cover, for example, a person who has recovered from cancer or mental illness.
The third part of the definition protects individuals who are regarded as having a substantially limiting impairment, even though they may not have such an impairment. For example, this provision would protect a qualified individual with a severe facial disfigurement from being denied employment because an employer feared the "negative reactions" of customers or co-workers.
Who is a "qualified individual with a disability?"
A qualified individual with a disability is a person who meets legitimate skill, experience, education, or other requirements of an employment position that s/he holds or seeks, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Requiring the ability to perform "essential" functions assures that an individual with a disability will not be considered unqualified simply because of inability to perform marginal or incidental job functions. If the individual is qualified to perform essential job functions except for limitations caused by a disability, the employer must consider whether the individual could perform these functions with a reasonable accommodation. If a written job description has been prepared in advance of advertising or interviewing applicants for a job, this will be considered as evidence, although not conclusive evidence, of the essential functions of the job.
Does the ADA apply to State and local governments?
Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in all programs, activities, and services of public entities. It applies to all State and local governments, their departments and agencies, and any other instrumentalities or special purpose districts of State or local governments. It clarifies the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for public transportation systems that receive Federal financial assistance, and extends coverage to all public entities that provide public transportation, whether or not they receive Federal financial assistance. It establishes detailed standards for the operation of public transit systems, including commuter and intercity rail (AMTRAK).
For more information on the Americans with Disabilities Act,
please contact the U.S. Department of Justice at:
(800) 514-0301
or (800) 514-0383 TTY
or http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm
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