Disability Laws in California

People with disability are just one of the groups of people who unfortunately always seem to experience unfair treatment in almost every aspect of life. That is despite the many federal laws enacted to protect their interest. The Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, and the Air Carrier Access Act are federal laws that give equal rights to this group of people, whether in terms of employment, access to private and government services, and transportation.
The state of California also enacted the following laws for people with disabilities:
• Unruh Civil Rights Act: The Unruh Civil Rights Act protects people from age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, and sexual orientation discrimination by business establishments in California, including housing and public accommodation.
• California Civil Code Sections 54 to 55: This section states that individuals with physical or medical conditions have the right for the full and free use of the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, medical facilities, and other public places. The law also includes the right to access all housing accommodations, transportation, and service dogs for people with disabilities, which are equal and similar to the right of the general public.
• California Building and Standards Code Title 24: Also known as Physical Access Regulations, this is a comprehensive set of standards that covers the important areas of accessibility for people with physical and sensory disabilities. It is designed to comply with the requirements of ADA and other state statutes.
• California Government Code Section 11135-11138: This section brings into state law the requirements of the ADA Title II (accessibility to government programs) and the standards of Rehabilitation Act’s Section 508 (accessibility of electronic and information technology). It prohibits discrimination in any program or activity conducted or funded directly by the state government.
• Fair Employment and Housing Act: Under FEHA, discrimination in employment and in all aspects of housing (e.g. rental, lease etc.) are prohibited. Forms of discrimination that are illegal are the following: age (40 and over), ancestry, color, creed, disability (mental and physical), gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
For disabled people who feel like they have been discriminated against or were not treated like an ordinary person, there are a lot of disability law attorneys in Los Angeles who are available to help. They can help obtain justice, as well as the compensation the disabled deserve for the discrimination they experienced.