Employer and Disability Groups Form Historic Alliance to Support the Americans with Disabilities Act

Employer & Disability Alliance brings together America’s Largest Business Trade Associations and Leading Disability & Civil Rights Advocates to Clarify & Secure ADA

*** Press Conference Call Wednesday 6/18 at 2:30 PM EST ***

WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2008 – Following the House mark up of the ADA Amendments Act – an unprecedented alliance of employers and disability and civil rights advocates will announce a new partnership – the Employer & Disability Alliance – to promote updates to the ADA on press conference call at 2:30 PM EST today.

Over the last few weeks a broad alliance of employer groups and disability advocates – including the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Epilepsy Foundation (EFA), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) – have been working tirelessly to reach an agreement on key clarifications to the landmark ADA.

These clarifications would correct narrow court interpretations that have restricted ADA coverage in the workplace for people with diabetes, epilepsy, serious heart conditions, mental disabilities and even cancer. The bill is expected to be on the House floor before the July 4th recess.

WHO: Tony Coelho is a former U.S. Congressman and the primary author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is the immediate past chair of the Epilepsy Foundation’s board of directors. As a person with epilepsy, he is a committed disability rights advocate.

Tom Donohue is the president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. His organization has been instrumental in reaching an agreement between the disability and employer communities.

Nancy Zirkin is executive vice president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and worked with the disability and employer communities to broker the agreement. 
 
Ari Ne’eman is an Asperger’s autistic and one the millions of Americans who would benefit from clarifications proposed in the ADA Amendments Act. He is the founding president of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a group run by autistics to help support individuals with autism.

WHAT: Call to announce unprecedented alliance between business and disability communities around key updates to the ADA.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 18th at 2:30 PM EST