In August of 1990, President Bush signed one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation to be enacted since the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) will have a drastic impact on all employers, including contractors and other light construction professionals. The ADA extends the remedies provided by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. While present federal civil rights laws prohibit most employers from discriminating on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, or religion, federal disability laws such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 have generally applied only to employers who performed contracts for the federal government or who otherwise received federal funds. The ADA, however, extends the scope
