Helpful Resources
Knowing Your Rights as an Employee
Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA protects the civil rights of people with disabilities in all aspects of employment, in accessing public services such as transportation, and guaranteeing access to public accommodations.
Employment: ADA Title I
- Discrimination:
- No employer can discriminate against a qualified individual on the basis of disability.
- The term qualified individual means an individual who can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations.
- Disclosure of Disability:
- You are not required by law to tell potential employers about your disability and employers are prohibited from asking if you have a disability. Disclosing, at some point, is the only way to ensure your legal right to accommodation, but disclosing in the job search process could expose you to discrimination.
- It is entirely up to you whether you choose to disclose information on your disability during the hiring process or after you have obtained the job.
ADA Resources: How it Applies to You
ADA National Network
The ADA National Network provides information, guidance, and training on ADA.
Phone: (800) 949-4232
Disability and Business Tech Assistance Centers
There are 10 Regional ADA National Network Centers located across the country that provide personalized, local assistance to ensure that the ADA is implemented wherever possible. The local DBTAC is the Rocky Mountain ADA Center.
Phone: (800) 949-4232 (Voice/TTY)
Finding a Job
CSU Career Center
Receive personalized assistance from a career counselor. The CSU Career Center recognizes that students with disabilities may have some unique considerations in their work-related decisions, the career counselors are committed to helping students with disabilities tackle their specific concerns and issues.
Phone: (970) 491-5707
Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
DVR assists individuals with disabilities who are pursuing meaningful careers. DVR assists those individuals to secure gainful employment appropriate to their abilities and capabilities. Employment services can include evaluation, job placement, counseling, funding for accommodations, and job training and technical assistance to employees and employers. Each state has its own DVR.
Phone: (303) 866-4150 (voice & TDD), (866) 870-4595 (toll free)
Choosing the Right Accommodation(s)
Job Accommodation Network
JAN is a leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
Phone: (800) 526-7243 (voice), (877) 781-9403 (TTY)
Searchable Online Accommodation Resource System
SOAR is designed to let users explore various accommodation options for people with disabilities in work and educational settings.
Obtaining Assistive Technology
Assistive Technologies Act Programs
All regions of the United States have some sort of program under the Assistive Technologies Act of 1989 (Tech Act). Find the Tech Act project in your state or region and find out about services they have to offer. A good resource for finding the Tech Act program closest to you is the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs.
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
Colorado’s Assistive Tech Act Program
The Center for Inclusive Design & Engineering (CIDE) hosts the Assistive Technology Program of Colorado, a program funded under public law.
CIDE, part of the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, provides clinical services such as assessments, consultation, training, and education to persons with disabilities, their families, researchers, and their manufacturers. They offer free demonstrations of their assistive technology, loan Assistive Technology items for students through their loan bank, and provide information regarding funding sources.
Based in CIDE, the AT Clinic provides assessments to people who need to find the most appropriate AT for their circumstance. The AT Clinic also provides fittings, adjustments, and training on how to use the chosen assistive technology.
Phone: (303) 315-1280, (800) 255-3477 (toll free)
Email: cide@ucdenver.edu
