If you've experienced discrimination in the workplace because of a disability, there are many sources you can turn to for legal assistance and information. Under the Americans with Disability Act, also known as ADA (A-D-A), several organizations were created to provide assistance on all aspects of ADA and to help familiarize people with the laws. If you decide that you want to file a complaint or claim against your employer, you can write a letter detailing a description of the discrimination you've experienced and send it to either the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a state discrimination agency. To guarantee federal protection, you should file the charge within 180 days of the discriminatory event. If the court finds that you've been discriminated against because of your disability, you'll be entitled to a remedy that will place you in the position you would have been in if the discrimination had never occurred, such as reinstatement, back pay, or reasonable accommodation. In regards to reasonable accommodation, remember that an employer is only legally required to accommodate a 'known' disability of a qualified applicant or employee. As a result, it's the responsibility of the individual with a disability to inform the employer that an accommodation is needed.
