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The Smith-Fess Act, also known as the Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act, was passed in 1920. It was a landmark law that established the first federally funded program to assist civilians with disabilities in finding employment. The program effectively provided vocational assistance to Americans with physical disabilities and was modeled on an earlier law aimed at rehabilitating disabled World War I veterans. -
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law in 1935. The law provided benefits for the blind, the physically disabled, and the elderly. -
Passed in 1968, the Architectural Barriers Act mandated that all buildings designed, constructed, altered, or leased with federal funds be made accessible to people with disabilities. This act effectively broke down one of the most poignant barriers to employment faced by individuals with disabilities. -
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was one of the most pivotal moments in the American Disability Rights Movement. It effectively functioned as the first federal civil rights protection for people with disabilities. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any program receiving federal funding or assistance. -
In 1990, President Bush signed into law the most comprehensive disability rights legislation in history. It prohibits discrimination in employment and guarantees equal access to education, public facilities, transportation, government services, and more. -
With the implementation of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Congress made important changes to how “disability” is defined in the ADA. The definition was effectively expanded, making it easier for a person seeking protection under the law to establish eligibility.