10.2190/UB9R-9HCJ-YEG8-WMB9 UB9R9HCJYEG8WMB9 2 Alcohol, Drugs and the ADA 115 121 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 UB9R9HCJYEG8WMB9.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=UB9R9HCJYEG8WMB9 2 Jay R. Fries Esq. Virginia The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 [1] (ADA) is the first comprehensive federal statute prohibiting discrimination in employment against individuals with disabilities. The employment provisions of the act became effective on July 26, 1992 for employers having twenty-five or more employees. On July 26, 1994, the law extends to employers with fifteen or more employees [1, §12111(5)(A), §12111 nt]. The ADA protects a "qualified individual with a disability" from discrimination in employment [1, §12112(a)] and requires covered employers to provide such individuals with "reasonable accommodation" that would not result in a "undue hardship" [1, §12112(b)(5)(A)]. Each of these terms is loosely defined in the statute and will be subject to further interpretation through decisions of the federal courts. A violation of the ADA may be remedied through a lawsuit against the employer in federal court [1, §12117(2)]. Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 328 (1990) codified at 42 U.S.C. §§12101 <i>et. seq.</i> (Supp. 1990). Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of Conference, H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 596, 101st Cong., 2d Sess. 89 (1990), p. 64. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Technical Assistance Manual or Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, §8.3 (1992). Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs, 53 Fed. Reg. 11970, 11979-90 (April 11, 1988). <i>McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green</i>, 411 U.S. 792 (1973) (burden of proof under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). Remarks of Senators Armstrong and Harkin, 135 Cong. Rec. S10782 (Sept. 7, 1989). Elkouri & Elkouri, <i>How Arbitration Works</i> (4th Ed. 1985), pp. 656-58. 14 C.F.R. Part 121, Appendix I (1992). 49 C.F.R. §§391.81-.113 (1991). 49 C.F.R. §§219.1-.713 (1991). 48 C.F.R. §§223.570-.570-4 (1991). 10 C.F.R. §§26.1-.90 (1992).