Small Business Toolkit: Understand Disability
Enhance your understanding of disability and what it means in the workplace.
Disabilities can be defined in several ways, but often include:
- Physical and mobility disabilities (e.g., spinal cord injuries)
- D/deaf or hard of hearing
- Blind or low vision
- Mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression, PTSD)
- Neurodivergent people (e.g., autistic people, people with ADHD, and learning disabilities such as dyslexia)
- Intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (e.g., Down Syndrome)
- “Non-apparent” disabilities, sometimes called “invisible disabilities” (e.g., health conditions such as heart disease, lupus, cancer, substance use disorder).
The ADA protects "qualified individuals with disabilities," who can perform the essential functions of a job with or without an accommodation.
The ADA applies to “ covered employers, ” or businesses with 15 or more employees, employment agencies, and some other organizations. However, state laws vary and may apply to businesses of any size. The Department of Labor offers a resource list that can help you identify which state laws apply to your business.