Americans With Disabilities Act

Examples of physical or mental impairments include but are not limited to, such contagious an non-contagious diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech and hearing impairments; cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, specific learning disabilities, HIV disease, tuberculosis, specific learning disabilities, drug addiction and alcoholism. Homosexuality, bisexuality and related conditions and practices are not physical or mental impairments under the ADA. Impairments that substantially limit major life activities include inability or difficulty in caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, or participating in community activities. Individuals with a record of impairment include those having a history of, or have been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The law also prohibits discrimination against an individual who is being treated if he/she were disabled.