Congressional Insider’s Reflections on the ADA- Past, Present, and Future

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Presenter: Robert “Bobby” Silverstein, Principal, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville PC

Webinar Description: 

Bobby Silverstein, the former chief congressional aide to Senator Tom Harkin (the chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)) and current principal in the Washington DC-based Powers Law firm, will reflect on the efforts by the business and disability communities to enact the ADA and analyze emerging ADA implementation challenges, including a range of issues affecting people with disabilities such as voluntary affirmative action and self-identification and self-disclosure; artificial intelligence; the gig economy; accessibility of websites, online systems, and mobile apps; personal assistance services; and service and assistance animals.

Learning objectives include identifying and describing the:

  • Role of the business community and the disability community in securing enactment of the ADA.
  • Four goals of disability policy and core principles of equal opportunity/nondiscrimination articulated in the ADA.
  • Emerging ADA implementation issues such as:
    • Voluntary affirmative action recruitment and hiring policies and practices;
    • Accessibility of websites and online systems;
    • Centralized accommodation funds;
    • Screening applicants using artificial intelligence;
    • Personal assistance services;
    • COVID-19; and
    • Gig economy (employees vs. independent contractors).
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