In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including churches or religious ministries. Even part-time employees count, so a person who works only a few hours per week counts toward the 15-employee threshold, as long as that person is identified as an employee.

ADA regulations stress that physical (and to an extent, mental) impairments or disabilities should not be barriers to employment. The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. (For more information go to www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada.)

The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. Examples of some common impairments include the use of a wheelchair, vision or hearing impairments, aids, and certain mental disabilities such as adhd or fundamental communication problems.

Although the ADA regulations are limited in scope, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have broader laws and regulations that impact transportation, housing, hotel and restaurant accommodations, public spaces, retail licensing, and building permits using public funds. Regulations differ from state to state.

Employee Accessibility
An employee job description is key to knowing when employee impairment exists. The job description must indicate clearly what functions are required to carry out the work. An example description could read, "Must be able to bend over, climb ladders, and lift a minimum of 25 pounds." An employment applicant must affirm that he or she can carry out the work described, or indicate the limitations they face. An employer cannot require a medical examination or ask intrusive questions about a person's disabilities, but can ask if he or she can carry out the work responsibilities. Employee access issues can also arise if a previously able-bodied employee becomes permanently disabled and seeks to return to his or her job.

Physical changes in the workplace needed to accommodate employee handicaps can be significant. An office may need to be redesigned to provide ease of access to a person in a wheelchair. Entry points may need to be widened and doors may need larger handles and automatic access buttons (using a push of the hand or electronic signal) for ease of opening. Ramps or lifts may need to be provided where there are stairs. Furniture may need to be ergonomically suitable. Telephones may require listening devices or TDD functions. Restrooms may need to be refitted with larger spaces, higher toilets, lower sinks, and grip bars for ease of physical transfer from a wheelchair to a toilet.

The ADA has language about accommodation stating an employer does not have to hire a person with disabilities if the methods of accommodation cause undue hardship financially. An employer's size and financial resources will be considered by regulators should an employment dispute arise. When considering hiring persons with disabilities, church administrators and the pastor may find it helpful to work with an architect to evaluate access needs and options, and with local eeoc offices or the local Center for Independent Living for a review of office furnishings and technologies to determine what adaptations may need to be made.

Public Accessibility
In matters other than employment, local churches generally have been exempt from regulation regarding disabilities, though access requirements differ from state to state. After all, membership in a church or participation in services and activities is voluntary, and as long as programs and activities remain privately funded, generally there is no mandate for total access. In other cases, existing church buildings (like other private facilities) may be "grandfathered" in the local regulatory setting until such time as public activities take place, the church plans to expand or renovate facilities, or employees are hired.

Although a church might not be required by federal, state, or municipal regulations to make worship space accessible to persons with disabilities, the call of God is compelling. Families may have children with disabilities, or an elder member may develop disabling conditions. They will want to be part of a church that can accommodate them. These reasons may lead you to voluntarily make accommodations for persons with disabilities.

Access into a building is the most critical issue. A good architect will work with staff to review every aspect of access, starting with the parking lot. Are parking spaces clearly marked to indicate where vehicles carrying persons with disabilities can park, and what kind of permit or label the car will need to carry? Is there a sunken entrance between curbs that will allow a wheelchair onto a paved pathway?

Stairs can be a formidable barrier to entry into the church. One option to consider is rebuilding the church's primary entry point altogether to eliminate stairs as a barrier. But this approach might not be feasible. An easier and frequently used solution is to install a ramp. Concrete is preferred to a wooden ramp, even one with treated wood, because concrete is much more reliable and less prone to moisture damage over the long term. A contractor will help determine the length needed for the concrete ramp, the level of incline, the amount of space needed for making wheelchair turns (if needed), and the type of railing support needed.

Worship Accessibility
To achieve complete accessibility in a worship space, three design elements require specific attention. First, aisle width must enable free access for persons with wheelchairs, especially motorized chairs that tend to be larger than those pushed by others. Churches with pews create problems because pews generally cannot be shortened without significant cost or a safety compromise. Some churches choose to remove pews at the front or the back of a sanctuary so that persons in wheelchairs can have an open space for seating and viewing.

Second, lighting needs to be evaluated, not only in terms of brightness, but also how and where the light is distributed. People with vision impairments will appreciate brighter and carefully directed light. The lighting can be recessed rather than hung from the ceiling, but with a higher level of brightness directed to certain spots. A lighting contractor can evaluate lighting capacity and recommend system changes that will be aesthetically sound, meet the needs of those with low vision, and perhaps be more efficient than existing lighting.

Third, sound distribution and acoustics need to be reviewed. Churches may have been designed and built with no thought given to acoustics, with resulting audio "dead spots" or excessive "white noise" (background volume from ventilation or lighting), or basic poor sound quality. It may be hard enough for people with good hearing to pick up everything that is said. In many cases, people with hearing impairments will find it nearly impossible to hear.

Churches may have older hearing assistive systems with headsets wired to a microphone system, controlled from a central location. People using this system may be relegated to seating in one place in the church. Increasingly, churches find it better to use wireless, low-frequency radio headsets with individual volume controls so that people can sit wherever they want and still hear. For those who are fully deaf, space should be provided in a designated area for free movement and clear visibility of a signer.

Program Accessibility
Many older church buildings have facilities on two or more floor levels. In some buildings, worship space is on one level, rooms for meetings and Christian education may be on a second or third level up, a fellowship hall may be in the basement, and offices may be somewhere in-between. Multiple levels create serious barriers to access.

To eliminate these barriers, churches must employ elevators or lifts. Today's elevators can be quite efficient and fast, but installation can be costly. An architect and an elevator contractor must first determine the space required for an elevator shaft, and how many floors will be served. The shaft design and resulting elevator capacity must allow for wheelchair access. This project usually is very expensive, but it does allow for considerable if not complete access to the facilities. Many people recognize the importance of an elevator and will donate to such a project. To see how one church handled a large renovation for improved access, read "Extreme Makeover" in the Your Church July/August 2004 issue, or visit www.yourchurch.net.

Lifts are less expensive, and work best when moving people up or down just a few stairs. They can be more difficult to use in long staircases. They can accommodate one person at a time, typically only those who can walk but not manage stairs. It is important also to determine whether the stairwell width can safely accommodate a lift, even when it is folded and out of use.

Newer churches may place everything on one level, but then the distances between areas may be great. In this case, it is important to include grip bars on at least one side of a hallway, and to design a facility that minimizes distance between the church's different functions.

When evaluating accessibility options, church leaders need to work closely with architects, technical specialists, persons working with or serving the disabled, and the disabled themselves, to assess the extent to which persons with impairments can be accommodated through design and structural changes. In this way, those with differing abilities (instead of "disabilities") can be welcomed into the church and participate fully in life in Christ.

John Throop (throop@consultsummit.com) is a management consultant. He pastors Christ Church Limestone near Peoria, Illinois.