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SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS. 42 USC 12111
As used in this title:
(1) Commission. The term Commission
means the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission established
by section 705 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C.
2000e- 4).
(2) Covered entity. The term covered entity
means an employer, employment agency, labor organization,
or joint labor- management committee.
(3) Direct threat. The term direct threat
means a significant risk to the health or safety of others
that cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation.
(4) Employee. The term employee
means an individual employed by an employer. With respect
to employment in a foreign country, such term includes an
individual who is a citizen of the United States.
(5) Employer.
(A) In general. The term employer
means a person engaged in an industry affecting commerce
who has 15 or more employees for each working day in each
of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar
year, and any agent of such person, except that, for two years
following the effective date of this title, an employer means
a person engaged in an industry affecting commerce who has
25 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or
more calendar weeks in the current or preceding year, and
any agent of such person.
(B) Exceptions. The term employer
does not include
(i) the United States, a corporation wholly owned by the
government of the United States, or an Indian tribe; or
(ii) a bona fide private membership club (other than a labor
organization) that is exempt from taxation under section 501(c)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(6) Illegal use of drugs.
(A) In general. The term illegal use of drugs
means the use of drugs, the possession or distribution of
which is unlawful under the Controlled Substances Act (21
U.S.C. 812). Such term does not include the use of a drug
taken under supervision by a licensed health care professional,
or other uses authorized by the Controlled Substances Act
or other provisions of Federal law.
(B) Drugs. The term drug
means a controlled substance, as defined in schedules I through
V of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act.
(7) Person, etc. The terms person , labor organization ,
employment agency , commerce , and industry affecting commerce
, shall have the same meaning given such terms in section
701 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e).
(8) Qualified individual with a disability. The term qualified
individual with a disability
means an individual with a disability who, with r without
reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions
of the employment position that such individual holds or desires.
For the purposes of this title, consideration shall be given
to the employers judgment as to what functions of a job are
essential, and if an employer has prepared a written description
before advertising or interviewing applicants for the job,
this description shall be considered evidence of the essential
functions of the job.
(9) Reasonable accommodation. The term reasonable accommodation
may include
(A) making existing facilities used by employees readily
accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities;
and
(B) job restructuring, part- time or modified work schedules,
reassignment to a vacant position, acquisition or modification
of equipment or devices, appropriate adjustment or modifications
of examinations, training materials or policies, the provision
of qualified readers or interpreters, and other similar accommodations
for individuals with disabilities.
(10) Undue hardship.
(A) In general. The term undue hardship
means an action requiring significant difficulty or expense,
when considered in light of the factors set forth in subparagraph
(B).
(B) Factors to be considered. In determining whether an accommodation
would impose an undue hardship on a covered entity, factors
to be considered include
(i) the nature and cost of the accommodation needed under
this Act;
(ii) the overall financial resources of the facility or facilities
involved in the provision of the reasonable accommodation;
the number of persons employed at such facility; the effect
on expenses and resources, or the impact otherwise of such
accommodation upon the operation of the facility;
(iii) the overall financial resources of the covered entity;
the overall size of the business of a covered entity with
respect to the number of its employees; the number, type,
and location of its facilities; and
(iv) the type of operation or operations of the covered entity,
including the composition, structure, and functions of the
workforce of such entity; the geographic separateness, administrative,
or fiscal relationship of the facility or facilities in question
to the covered entity.
SEC. 102. DISCRIMINATION. 42 USC 12112.
(a) General Rule. No covered entity shall discriminate against
a qualified individual with a disability because of the disability
of such individual in regard to job application procedures,
the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees, employee
compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and
privileges of employment.
(b) Construction. As used in subsection (a), the term discriminate
includes
(1) limiting, segregating, or classifying a job applicant
or employee in a way that adversely affects the opportunities
or status of such applicant or employee because of the disability
of such applicant or employee;
(2) participating in a contractual or other arrangement or
relationship that has the effect of subjecting a covered entitys
qualified applicant or employee with a disability to the discrimination
prohibited by this title (such relationship includes a relationship
with an employment or referral agency, labor union, an organization
providing fringe benefits to an employee of the covered entity,
or an organization providing training and apprenticeship programs);
(3) utilizing standards, criteria, or methods of administration
(A) that have the effect of discrimination on the basis of
disability;
or
(B) that perpetuate the discrimination of others who are
subject to common administrative control;
(4) excluding or otherwise denying equal jobs or benefits
to a qualified individual because of the known disability
of an individual with whom the qualified individual is known
to have a relationship or association; (5) (A) not making
reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental
limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability
who is an applicant or employee, unless such covered entity
can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue
hardship on the operation of the business of such covered
entity; or
(B) denying employment opportunities to a job applicant or
employee who is an otherwise qualified individual with a disability,
if such denial is based on the need of such covered entity
to make reasonable accommodation to the physical or mental
impairments of the employee or applicant;
(6) using qualification standards, employment tests or other
selection criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an
individual with a disability or a class of individuals with
disabilities unless the standard, test or other selection
criteria, as used by the covered entity, is shown to be job-
related for the position in question and is consistent with
business necessity; and
(7) failing to select and administer tests concerning employment
in the most effective manner to ensure that, when such test
is administered to a job applicant or employee who has a disability
that impairs sensory, manual, or speaking skills, such test
results accurately reflect the skills, aptitude, or whatever
other factor of such applicant or employee that such test
purports to measure, rather than reflecting the impaired sensory,
manual, or speaking skills of such employee or applicant (except
where such skills are the factors that the test purports to
measure).
(c) Covered Entities in Foreign Countries.
(1) In general. It shall not be unlawful under this section
for a covered entity to take any action that constitutes discrimination
under this section with respect to an employee in a workplace
in a foreign country if compliance with this section would
cause such covered entity to violate the law of the foreign
country in which such workplace is located.
(2) Control of Corporation.
(A) Presumption. If an employer controls a corporation whose
place of incorporation is a foreign country, any practice
that constitutes discrimination under this section and is
engaged in by such corporation shall be presumed to be engaged
in by such employer.
(B) Exception. This section shall not apply with respect
to the foreign operations of an employer that is a foreign
person not controlled by an American employer.
(C) Determination. For purposes of this paragraph, the determination
of whether an employer controls a corporation shall be based
on -
(i) the interrelation of operations;
(ii) the common management;
(iii) the centralized control of labor relations; and
(iv) the common ownership or financial control of the employer
and the corporation.
(d) Medical Examinations and Inquiries.
(1) In general. The prohibition against discrimination as
referred to in subsection (a) shall include medical examinations
and inquiries.
(2) Preemployment.
(A) Prohibited examination or inquiry. Except as provided
in paragraph (3), a covered entity shall not conduct a medical
examination or make inquiries of a job applicant as to whether
such applicant is an individual with a disability or as to
the nature or severity of such disability.
(B) Acceptable inquiry. A covered entity may make preemployment
inquiries into the ability of an applicant to perform job-
related functions.
(3) Employment entrance examination. A covered entity may
require a medical examination after an offer of employment
has been made to a job applicant and prior to the commencement
of the employment duties of such applicant, and may condition
an offer of employment on the results of such examination,
if
(A) all entering employees are subjected to such an examination
regardless of disability;
(B) information obtained regarding the medical condition
or history of the applicant is collected and maintained on
separate forms and in separte medical files and is treated
as a confidential medical record, except that
(i) supervisors and managers may be informed regarding necessary
restrictions on the work or duties of the employee and necessary
accommodations;
(ii) first aid and safety personnel may be informed, when
appropriate, if the disability might require emergency treatment;
and
(iii) government officials investigating compliance with
this Act shall be provided relevant information on request;
and
(C) the results of such examination are used only in accordance
with this title.
(4) Examination and inquiry.
(A) Prohibited examinations and inquiries. A covered entity
shall not require a medical examination and shall not make
inquiries of an employee as to whether such employee is an
individual with a disability or as to the nature or severity
of the disability, unless such examination or inquiry is shown
to be job- related and consistent with business necessity.
(B) Acceptable examinations and inquiries. A covered entity
may conduct voluntary medical examinations, including voluntary
medical histories, which are part of an employee health program
available to employees at that work site. A covered entity
may make inquiries into the ability of an employee to perform
job- related functions.
(C) Requirement. Information obtained under subparagraph
(B) regarding the medical condition or history of any employee
are subject to the requirements of subparagraphs (B) and (C)
of paragraph (3).
SEC. 103. DEFENSES. 42 USC 12113.
(a) In General. It may be a defense to a charge of discrimination
under this Act that an alleged application of qualification
standards, tests, or selection criteria that screen out or
tend to screen out or otherwise deny a job or benefit to an
individual with a disability has been shown to be job- related
and consistent with business necessity, and such performance
cannot be accomplished by reasonable accommodation, as required
under this title.
(b) Qualification Standards. The term qualification standards
may include a requirement that an individual shall not pose
a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals
in the workplace.
(c) Religious Entities.
(1) In general. This title shall not prohibit a religious
corporation, association, educational institution, or society
from giving preference in employment to individuals of a particular
religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by
such corporation, association, educational institution, or
society of its activities.
(2) Religious tenets requirement. Under this title, a religious
organization may require that all applicants and employees
conform to the religious tenets of such organization.
(d) List of Infectious and Communicable Diseases.
(1) In general. The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this
Act, shall
(A) review all infectious and communicable diseases which
may be transmitted through handling the food supply;
(B) publish a list of infectious and communicable diseases
which are transmitted through handling the food supply;
(C) publish the methods by which such diseases are transmitted;
and
(D) widely disseminate such information regarding the list
of diseases and their modes of transmissability to the general
public.
Such list shall be updated annually.
(2) Applications. In any case in which an individual has
an infectious or communicable disease that is transmitted
to others through the handling of food, that is included on
the list developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
under paragraph (1), and which cannot be eliminated by reasonable
accommodation, a covered entity may refuse to assign or continue
to assign such individual to a job involving food handling.
(3) Construction. Nothing in thisAct shall be construed to
preempt, modify, or amend any State, county, or local law,
ordinance, or regulation applicable to food handling which
is designed to protect the public health from individuals
who pose a significant risk to the health or safety of others,
which cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation, pursuant
to the list of infectious or communicable diseases and the
modes of transmissability published by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
SEC. 104. ILLEGAL USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. 42 USC 12114.
(a) Qualified Individual With a Disability. For purposes
of this title, the term qualified individual with a disability
shall not include any employee or applicant who is currently
engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when the covered entity
acts on the basis of such use.
(b) Rules of Construction. Nothing in subsection (a) shall
be construed to exclude as a qualified individual with a disability
an individual who
(1) has successfully completed a supervised drug rehabilitation
program and is no longer engaging in the illegal use of drugs,
or has otherwise been rehabilitated successfully and is no
longer engaging in such use;
(2) is participating in a supervised rehabilitation program
and is no longer engaging in such use; or
(3) is erroneously regarded as engaging in such use, but
is not engaging in such use;
except that it shall not be a violation of this Act for a
covered entity to adopt or administer reasonable policies
or procedures, including but not limited to drug testing,
designed to ensure that an individual described in paragraph
(1) or (2) is no longer engaging in the illegal use of drugs.
(c) Authority of Covered Entity. A covered entity
(1) may prohibit the illegal use of drugs and the use of
alcohol at the workplace by all employees;
(2) may require that employees shall not be under the influence
of alcohol or be engaging in the illegal use of drugs at the
workplace;
(3) may require that employees behave in conformance with
the requirements established under the Drug- Free Workplace
Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. 701 et seq.);
(4) may hold an employee who engages in the illegal use of
drugs or who is an alcoholic to the same qualification standards
for employment or job performance and behavior that such entity
holds other employees, even if any unsatisfactory performance
or behavior is related to the drug use or alcoholism of such
employee; and
(5) may, with respect to Federal regulations regarding alcohol
and the illegal use of drugs, require that
(A) employees comply with the standards established in such
regulations of the Department of Defense, if the employees
of the covered entity are employed in an industry subject
to such regulations, including complying with regulations
(if any) that apply to employment in sensitive positions in
such an industry, in the case of employees of the covered
entity who are employed in such positions (as defined in the
regulations of the Department of Defense);
(B) employees comply with the standards established in such
regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, if the employees
of the covered entity are employed in an industry subject
to such regulations, including complying with regulations
(if any) that apply to employment in sensitive positions in
such an industry, in the case of employees of the covered
entity who are employed in such positions (as defined in the
regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission); and
(C) employees comply with the standards established in such
regulations of the Department of Transportation, if the employees
of the covered entity are employed in a transportation industry
subject to such regulations, including complying with such
regulations (if any) that apply to employment in sensitive
positions in such an industry, in the case of employees of
the covered entity who are employed in such positions (as
defined in the regulations of the Department of Transportation).
(d) Drug Testing.
(1) In general. For purposes of this title, a test to determie
the illegal use of drugs shall not be considered a medical
examination.
(2) Construction. Nothing in this title shall be construed
to encourage, prohibit, or authorize the conducting of drug
testing for the illegal use of drugs by job applicants or
employees or making employment decisions based on such test
results.
(e) Transportation Employees. Nothing in this title shall
be construed to encourage, prohibit, restrict, or authorize
the otherwise lawful exercise by entities subject to the jurisdiction
of the Department of Transportation of authority to
(1) test employees of such entities in, and applicants for,
positions involving safety- sensitive duties for the illegal
use of drugs and for on- duty impairment by alcohol; and
(2) remove such persons who test positive for illegal use
of drugs and on- duty impairment by alcohol pursuant to paragraph
(1) from safety- sensitive duties in implementing subsection
(c).
SEC. 105. POSTING NOTICES. 42 USC 12115.
Every employer, employment agency, labor organization, or
joint labor- management committee covered under this title
shall post notices in an accessible format to applicants,
employees, and members describing the applicable provisions
of this Act, in the manner prescribed by section 711 of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e- 10).
SEC. 106. REGULATIONS. 42 USC 12116.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Commission shall issue regulations in an accessible
format to carry out this title in accordance with subchapter
II of chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 107. ENFORCEMENT. 42 USC 12117.
(a) Powers, Remedies, and Procedures. The powers, remedies,
and procedures set forth in sections 705, 706, 707, 709, and
710 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e- 4, 2000e-
5, 2000e- 6, 2000e- 8, and 2000e- 9) shall be the powers,
remedies, and procedures this title provides to the Commission,
to the Attorney General, or to any person alleging discrimination
on the basis of disability in violation of any provision of
this Act, or regulations promulgated under section 106, concerning
employment.
(b) Coordination. The agencies with enforcement authority
for actions which allege employment discrimination under this
title and under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 shall develop
procedures to ensure that administrative complaints filed
under this title and under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
are dealt with in a manner that avoids duplication of effort
and prevents imposition of inconsistent or conflicting standards
for the same requirements under this title and the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973. The Commission, the Attorney General, and the
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs shall establish
such coordinating mechanisms (similar to provisions contained
in the joint regulations promulgated by the Commission and
the Attorney General at part 42 of title 28 and part 1691
of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, and the Memorandum
of Understanding between the Commission and the Office of
Federal Contract Compliance Programs dated January 16, 1981
(46 Fed. Reg. 7435, January 23, 1981)) in regulations implementing
this title and Rehabilitation Act of 1973 not later than 18
months after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 108. EFFECTIVE DATE. 42 USC 12111 note.
This title shall become effective 24 months after the date
of enactment.
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