Human Resources

Understanding People with Disabilities

This information is intended to provide an overview of Case Western Reserve University's policies and services as related to members of the university community with disabilities. It is not meant to be a comprehensive explanation of the requirements of the American Disabilities Act of 1990.

University Policy on People with Disabilities

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and protects qualified applicants and employees with disabilities from discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, job training, fringe benefits and other aspects of employment. The law also requires that covered entities provide qualified applicants and employees with disabilities with reasonable accommodations that do not impose undue hardship. An individual is considered to have a disability if that individual either (1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of that person's major life activities, (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

The ADA further prohibits retaliating against an individual for asserting his rights under the ADA. The Act also makes it unlawful to discriminate against an individual, whether disabled or not, because of the individual's family, business, social or other relationship or association with an individual with a disability. It is the policy of Case Western Reserve University not to discriminate against individuals with disabilities-but who are otherwise qualified-in administering educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other university administered programs.

It is further the policy of the university to enable those with disabilities to participate as independently as possible in Case activities so that campus life will be enhanced and the individual lives of members of the university community will be enriched.

Case Western Reserve University resolves to make reasonable efforts to see that the opportunities it offers are accessible to all qualified individuals.

What is a disability?

A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the individual's "major life activities." The definition includes losses of anatomical function, psychological conditions, impairment of senses, chronic medical conditions and learning disabilities.

Some specific types of impairment cited in the ADA include physiological disorder or condition affecting cosmetic disfigurement or anatomical loss affecting the neurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive and other body systems. Conditions such as HIV infection, cancer, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and heart disease are also defined as disabilities by the ADA. In addition, substance abuse is considered a disability if the individual is participating in (or has completed) rehabilitation. This is by no means a comprehensive list.

A condition such as those listed above is considered to be a disability to the extent it causes a substantial limitation of one or more of the processes defined by the ADA as "major life activities." In other words, the condition must be severe enough to cause a restriction in activities such as walking, breathing, speaking, seeing, hearing, learning, performing manual tasks, etc., to be considered a disability.

Conditions not considered disabilities include sexual preferences, sexual behavior disorders, compulsive gambling, kleptomania, pyromania, and current substance abuse.