Important Terms to Understand

Disability: A person with a disability is an individual who:

• has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, e.g., caring for oneself, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working, performing manual tasks, or learning;
• has a record or history of a substantially limiting physical or mental impairment; or
• is regarded as having a substantially limiting physical or mental impairment.

Some examples of impairment conditions are: AIDS or HIV infection; alcoholism; blindness or visual impairment; cancer; deafness or hearing impairment; diabetes; drug addiction; heart disease; and mental or emotional illness. The following are not covered under the ADA: current users of illegal drugs, problems such as gambling or kleptomania, persons with temporary impairments from injuries or illness. Employers can consider corrective measures or treatment received in determining whether an individual has a disability under the ADA.