The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. It sure looks a lot different today than it did then. Of course, that’s because of the online access Americans have. It makes sense, then, that there’d be a way to file complaints online, too. The Department of Justice announced that’s exactly what they’re doing and says it will release formal regulations this month. This marks the first time disabled Americans have this option. This week, we take a look at the new program and what it means for the disabled.
The timing is especially fitting, too. It’s been twenty five years since ADA was passed into law. From the Department of Justice website:
Twenty-five years ago, through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our nation committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is proud to play a critical role in enforcing the ADA, working towards a future in which all the doors are open to equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, integration and economic self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities.
The government’s ADA website has historically been one of the easier ones to navigate and find information. This latest venture will further simplify matters in an even more time efficient way.
We found our way to the online form just to see just how much easier it really is. What we found was a 
straightforward, larger print and easy to fill out form. It has a place for contact information for the person filling out the form if it’s not the same as the one filing the complaint. This is especially helpful for many elderly people who may not be familiar with the internet. There’s also a convenient box to include others who were discriminated against during the same event, along with an area to provide the name of the business, organization or institution that is responsible for the discrimination. It’s a simple one page document and the one filing the complaint will also receive a copy of the correspondence, along with the date and the time. Finally, a reference number is provided for future contact on the phone or in person.
It’s all quite straight forward, easy to use and we’re hoping it will result in a timely investigation.
With more than 14 million Americans who are disabled and over the age of 65, the more resources available, the better. More baby boomers are retiring, too, so that means the need will increase with time.
To learn more about qualifying for disability, estate planning or qualifying for Medicaid, we invite you to contact our offices today. Our Vermont estate planning lawyers stand ready to provide assistance to you and your family.
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