The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 was intended to facilitate employment, job retention, and workplace promotion of individuals with disabilities by protecting them from job discrimination. However, ongoing questions have been raised about the efficacy of the legislation. This study uses population data from the Disability Supplement to the 1994 and 1995 National Health Interview Surveys to assess rates of work discrimination among adults with disabilities ages 18 and older. The analysis suggests that nearly a 10th of all adults with disabilities who were in the workforce during the 5-year period immediately following passage of the ADA experienced some form of job discrimination. People who reported job discrimination were more likely to be younger and poorer and to have more severe disabilities than those who did not report any discrimination. About a third of the respondents who experienced discrimination left the workforce permanently. The implications of these findings for rehabilitation practice are discussed.
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