e to the blind and/or visually impaired individual, in that this legislation " ... prohibits discrimination against persons with physical or mental handicaps that substantially limit one or more major life activities or are visible to others or who have a history of impairment" (p. 141). Further, this act indicates that all employers are to " ... take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified handicapped individuals at all levels of employment ... this includes the executive level" (p. 109). The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 protects those veterans who became disabled due to participation in the Vietnam War and who are seeking employment opportunities.
Beyond the above pieces of legislation is the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (U.S. Department of Justice, 1990, pp. 1-2), which addresses employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local government, and telecommunications. Relative to employment, this Act allows that employers may not discriminate against any individual with a disability in hiring or promotion if the person is otherwise qualified for the position; and employers must provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities, which may include job restructuring and modification of equipment unless undue hardship on business operations is provable. This section of the Act takes effect July 26, 1992 for employers with 25 or more workers; and July 26, 1994, for employers with 15-24 workers. This Act also addresses transportation, which influences both work-life and personal-life, and stipulates that new public transit buses must be accessible to the disabled; comparable transportation must be provided if bus service is not available, lacking undue hardship; rail systems are to have trains that are disabled-accessible as must train stations be the same. There are a variety of dates for compliance of public transportation. This Act also covers p...