Great Lakes ADA Center

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Great Lakes ADA Center

The Great Lakes ADA Center provides information, guidance & training on the ADA. The Great Lakes ADA Center is a member of the ADA National Network.

The ADA National Network consists of ten Regional ADA National Network Centers located throughout the United States that provide personalized, local assistance to ensure that the ADA is implemented wherever possible. We are not an enforcement or regulatory agency, but a helpful resource supporting the ADA’s mission to “make it possible for everyone with a disability to live a life of freedom and e

quality.”

We aim to create a safe space for our community to discuss ADA rights and responsibilities. To maintain a respectful dialogue, please refrain from social media comments that are hateful, defamatory, discriminatory, personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior. Please review our social media guidelines: bit.ly/guidelines-sm.

09/07/2026

According to 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is twice the rate for people without disabilities.

Based on 2024 survey data from Disability Solutions, some barriers to employment that people with disabilities experience include inaccessible application technology, difficulty requesting accommodations throughout the application and interview process, and hiring bias.

Under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities are protected from discrimination in hiring, employment, and other workplace practices. The ADA also protects the right to request reasonable accommodations that enable qualified applicants to apply for jobs and qualified employees to perform the essential functions of their jobs.

Learn more: Linktr.ee/DisabilityWork

09/06/2026

Unlock a world of free learning with our 8 different webinar series. These sessions are offered live and recorded, providing information on general ADA requirements, legal cases, assistive technology, physical access, the great outdoors, and more. Continuing Education Recognition is also available for certain webinars.

Create an account at bit.ly/freeadawebinars to register for our upcoming live sessions and start your learning journey today!

09/05/2026

Under Title III of the ADA, businesses that are open to the public must provide people with disabilities full and equal access to their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations. This includes allowing entry for people with disabilities with service animals.

Even if the business or a public program has a “no pets” policy, it may not deny entry to a person with a service animal. Service animals are trained animals that perform disability-related tasks, not pets. So, although a “no pets” policy is perfectly legal, it does not allow a business to exclude service animals.

Check out the Service Animal Resource Hub from the ADA National Network to learn more: bit.ly/4gREaeC

09/04/2026

Watch our previous webinar titled "Artificial Intelligence and the ADA: Understanding How Employment Discrimination May Occur . . . And How to Avoid It."

Artificial intelligence (AI), as well as the design of software and use of algorithms, is changing how employers evaluate applicants and employees. While such technological advances offer certain advantages, they also may result in discrimination against qualified applicants and employees with a wide range of disabilities in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This session reviewed steps an employer may take to limit the likelihood of discrimination, including providing as much information to applicants and employees about how AI technology is being used. The session also offered guidance about what individuals with disabilities can do to ensure that their qualifications and work are appropriately assessed.

Watch the webinar: bit.ly/41xgjbU

09/03/2026

Today, September 3, is the first day of the Chicago Jazz Festival, which will continue through September 6, 2026. It is a Labor Day weekend tradition that celebrates jazz through free, high-quality music programming. The festival highlights Chicago’s local talent alongside national and international artists, helping to promote awareness and appreciation of one of the city’s most beloved art forms.

We want to share some accessibility information about the festival that you can learn before you go to help you get the most out of your visit. The City of Chicago is committed to making the festival accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, by providing accessible routes and seating, ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices, wheelchair loans, open-captioned films, and large-print programs.

We have curated a list of information to help you learn more about the festival, including the schedule and lineup, ASL interpretation schedule, and accessibility information: Linktr.ee/CJF2026.

09/02/2026

Making sure that every aspect of your business and communication is accessible to everyone is always the goal. Under Title III of the ADA, businesses that are open to the public must provide people with disabilities full and equal access to their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations. This includes providing effective communication.

Business cards provide a fast, physical, and practical way to share your contact or business details. Presenting information on your business card in braille is one of many ways to communicate effectively and help make information accessible to people, including customers, potential business partners, and others who use braille.

If you or your business are considering whether to get braille business cards, or want to learn about other alternatives to braille business cards for exchanging contact information, check out a blog by accessibility consultant Tom Babinszki from Even Grounds. The blog discusses several considerations for deciding whether you need braille business cards, along with other ways to make exchanging contact information more accessible. Link: bit.ly/braille-cards.

09/01/2026

Are mental health conditions covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

What types of workplace accommodations can support employees with mental health conditions?

To help answer these questions, check out the Mental Health Hub from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). It explains how mental health conditions may qualify as disabilities under the ADA and provides resources on workplace accommodation options and the accommodation process for employees with mental health conditions.

Link: AskJAN.org/mental_health_hub

08/31/2026

Today, we want to share a great resource from the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center).

This quick reference guide provides information and resources to help American Job Center staff and partners discuss financial and employment goals with jobseekers with disabilities.

People with disabilities have the right to manage their money and benefits to achieve their financial goals. Connecting employment activities with conversations about money can help jobseekers understand the relationship between employment, income, and achieving financial goals.

Learn more: bit.ly/guide-ajc

08/30/2026

Every last Sunday of the month, we highlight a topic as part of our Q&A of the Month. This month's question is:

What are the essential and marginal functions of a job?

Answer: Under Title I of the ADA, essential functions are core parts of a job that every person in that role must be able to do, regardless of their disability. A reasonable accommodation may be needed for an employee to perform the function, but employers are generally not required to eliminate or reassign an essential function as an accommodation. However, employers can be required to eliminate or reassign non-essential marginal functions as an accommodation, when reasonable. The employer can also swap marginal functions amongst employees as a form of reasonable accommodation if an employee with a disability is able to perform some marginal functions but not others.

Check full answer: bit.ly/august-qna

08/29/2026

Wheelchair tennis takes center court at the 2026 US Open.

From September 8–12, 2026, the 2026 US Open Wheelchair Championships will take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The Championships bring 48 of the world’s top wheelchair tennis athletes to New York across the men’s, women’s, and quad divisions, while 16 players will compete in the junior wheelchair divisions.

Wheelchair tennis is one of the most highly professionalized adapted sports in the world. It is an elite sport where athletes compete for Grand Slam titles through powerful shot-making, tactical precision, speed, and exceptional wheelchair skills.

We have curated a list of resources to help you learn more about the 2026 US Open Wheelchair Championships, as well as accessibility information if you plan to watch the matches at the stadium or from home. Link: Linktr.ee/USOpen2026.

Address

1640 W Roosevelt Road, Rm 405
Chicago, IL
60608

Telephone

+18009494232

Website

https://Linktr.ee/GLAC5

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