Employment Law Terms and Definitions

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title I of the ADA against private employers and the Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice enforces Title I of the ADA against state and local government employers. Title I of the ADA designates the EEOC as the federal agency primarily responsible for investigating individual charges of discrimination under the Act. Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the "ADA"), as amended, 42 U.S.C. §12111, et seq., prohibits discrimination in employment against a qualified individual with a disability because of the disability. It also is unlawful under the Act for an employer to take retaliatory action against any individual for opposing employment practices made unlawful by the ADA or for filing a discrimination charge or for testifying or assisting or participating in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under the ADA. Affirmative Action Positive action to accomplish the purpose of a program designed to increase the employment opportunities of certain groups. It may involve goals, timetables, or specifically outlined steps to be undertaken to assure that objectives are reached. Vesting Ownership interest in your pension plan benefits and Company matching contributions under the savings program. You have an irrevocable right to a benefit when you are fully vested. Job Coach A person hired by the placement agency or provided through the employer to furnish specialized on-site training to assist an employee with a disability in learning and performing a job and adjusting to the work environment. Curb Cut Also called a curb ramp, it is a depression built into the curb of a sidewalk to permit passage by a wheelchair. The incline should not exceed a gradient of 1:12 and the flat surface width should be no less than 4 feet wide. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §2000e, et seq., prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, national origin and religion. It also is unlawful under the Act for an employer to take retaliatory action against any individual for opposing employment practices made unlawful by Title VII or for filing a discrimination charge or for testifying or assisting or participating in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under Title VII. Individual with a Disability A person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of that person’s major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or who is regarded as having such an impairment. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §791, ("Section 501"), requires departments and agencies of the federal government to have an affirmative action program plan for the hiring, placement, and advancement of individuals with disabilities. Accessible Easy to approach, enter, operate, participate in, or use safely, independently and with dignity by a person with a disability (i.e., site, facility, work environment, service or program).

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	Second Injury Fund benefits may be available durring employment However, after the first 450 weeks of benefits for total and permanent disability, wages from employment will be used to reduce your benefit amount. The reduction is based upon the percentage that your current earnings bear to those at the time of your being declared totally and permanently disabled.