The Casualty Assistance Program provides prompt and compassionate assistance for service members' families in their times of need.  Although "casualty" is commonly associated with death, the Casualty Assistance Program works with families of ill, injured, or deceased service members.

The Casualty Assistance Program provides prompt and compassionate assistance for service members' families in their times of need.  Although "casualty" is commonly associated with death, the Casualty Assistance Program works with families of ill, injured, or deceased service members.

Each of the individual branches of Service operates programs designed to assist severely injured service members and their families: United States Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), the Marine for Life Injured Support Program, the Navy Safe Harbor Program, and the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. These programs tailor the support they provide to meet the specific needs of individual service members. Links or contact information for these programs can be found in the Casualty Assistance Resources section of this website.

Each of the individual branches of Service operates programs designed to assist severely injured service members and their families: United States Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), the Marine for Life Injured Support Program, the Navy Safe Harbor Program, and the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. These programs tailor the support they provide to meet the specific needs of individual service members. Links or contact information for these programs can be found in the Casualty Assistance Resources section of this website.

The military offers assistance to families of deceased service members through Casualty Assistance Officers (CAOs). These CAOs notify families of the casualty, answer any questions they may have, help them with the administrative paperwork and arrangements associated with injuries, funerals, and burials, and help them to understand and access entitlements and benefits related to the death of the service member. CAOs work closely with family members from the time of the casualty until all benefits and entitlements have been processed and remain available to families afterwards to address any additional questions and concerns that may arise.

The different branches of Service use different titles for the CAO:

• Army - Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO)
• Marine Corps and Navy - Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO)
• Air Force - Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR)

The military offers assistance to families of deceased service members through Casualty Assistance Officers (CAOs). These CAOs notify families of the casualty, answer any questions they may have, help them with the administrative paperwork and arrangements associated with injuries, funerals, and burials, and help them to understand and access entitlements and benefits related to the death of the service member. CAOs work closely with family members from the time of the casualty until all benefits and entitlements have been processed and remain available to families afterwards to address any additional questions and concerns that may arise.

The different branches of Service use different titles for the CAO:

• Army - Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO)
• Marine Corps and Navy - Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO)
• Air Force - Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR)

DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) both offer funeral and burial benefits and services to family members of deceased service members.  DoD provides for the transport and interment of the service member's remains and authorizes travel entitlements for the surviving spouse, children, and service member's parents.  The travel entitlement includes round trip transportation and two days of per diem at the interment site.  Additionally, DoD and the VA offer the following services to assist family members in burying their deceased service members:

• Military funeral honors - Provided by DoD, military funeral honors provide a final "thank you" to veterans who have defended the nation.  Military funeral honors consist of, at a minimum, ceremonial folding and presenting of the American flag and the sounding of "Taps."  Additional elements such as a firing party or color guard may also be included in the ceremony.  More information can be found on the Military Funeral Honors website.
• VA Burial Allowance - The VA Burial Allowance is a partial reimbursement of an eligible veteran's burial and funeral costs.
• Burial flags - Burial flags are United States flags, provided at no cost, that drape the casket or urn of a deceased service member who served honorably in the military.  The flag is intended to honor the memory of the veteran's service to the country.
• Government furnished headstones and markers - Upon request, the VA will furnish, at no charge, a government headstone or marker for the grave of any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world.  Headstones and markers are also available for eligible spouses and dependents of veterans in a national, military post/base, or state veterans cemetery.  More information on government furnished headstones and markers can be found on the National Cemetery Administration website.
• Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) - Provided by the VA, the PMC is a gold embossed paper certificate, signed by the President of the United States, to honor the memory of honorably discharged veterans.  The PMC is available to the next-of-kin and loved ones of deceased service members.

DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) both offer funeral and burial benefits and services to family members of deceased service members.  DoD provides for the transport and interment of the service member's remains and authorizes travel entitlements for the surviving spouse, children, and service member's parents.  The travel entitlement includes round trip transportation and two days of per diem at the interment site.  Additionally, DoD and the VA offer the following services to assist family members in burying their deceased service members:

• Military funeral honors - Provided by DoD, military funeral honors provide a final "thank you" to veterans who have defended the nation.  Military funeral honors consist of, at a minimum, ceremonial folding and presenting of the American flag and the sounding of "Taps."  Additional elements such as a firing party or color guard may also be included in the ceremony.  More information can be found on the Military Funeral Honors website.
• VA Burial Allowance - The VA Burial Allowance is a partial reimbursement of an eligible veteran's burial and funeral costs.
• Burial flags - Burial flags are United States flags, provided at no cost, that drape the casket or urn of a deceased service member who served honorably in the military.  The flag is intended to honor the memory of the veteran's service to the country.
• Government furnished headstones and markers - Upon request, the VA will furnish, at no charge, a government headstone or marker for the grave of any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world.  Headstones and markers are also available for eligible spouses and dependents of veterans in a national, military post/base, or state veterans cemetery.  More information on government furnished headstones and markers can be found on the National Cemetery Administration website.
• Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) - Provided by the VA, the PMC is a gold embossed paper certificate, signed by the President of the United States, to honor the memory of honorably discharged veterans.  The PMC is available to the next-of-kin and loved ones of deceased service members.

Maybe.  For spouses of military retirees or spouses of members who have been killed in action, they are and always will be covered by TRICARE.  Family members of deceased active duty service members may be eligible to continue receiving health care at medical facilities under TRICARE at the active duty rate for a period of three years, after which they may receive health care at the retiree family member rate.  For more information on TRICARE benefits and entitlements, please visit the TRICARE website. 

Spouses and dependent children of veterans who have been rated by the VA as permanently or total disabled due to a service-connected disability, survivors of veterans who died from a VA-rated service-connected disability, or survivors of veterans who were rated as permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability are not eligible for care through TRICARE.  In these cases, the spouse and dependent children may be eligible to receive care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).  More information on CHAMPVA can be found on the CHAMPVA website.

Maybe.  For spouses of military retirees or spouses of members who have been killed in action, they are and always will be covered by TRICARE.  Family members of deceased active duty service members may be eligible to continue receiving health care at medical facilities under TRICARE at the active duty rate for a period of three years, after which they may receive health care at the retiree family member rate.  For more information on TRICARE benefits and entitlements, please visit the TRICARE website. 

Spouses and dependent children of veterans who have been rated by the VA as permanently or total disabled due to a service-connected disability, survivors of veterans who died from a VA-rated service-connected disability, or survivors of veterans who were rated as permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability are not eligible for care through TRICARE.  In these cases, the spouse and dependent children may be eligible to receive care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).  More information on CHAMPVA can be found on the CHAMPVA website.

Yes.  A family retains some benefits and privileges following the death of a service member.  In addition to the TRICARE benefit, DoD offers some housing-related benefits and privileges to surviving family members, as well as continued access to the commissary, exchange, and various Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs.  Eligible family members living in government family housing on the date of the service member's death are entitled to continue living there without charge for a period of 365 days.  If a family vacates government housing prior to the 365 day limit, the family will be paid the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for the unused days.  For families not in government-owned housing, BAH or an overseas housing allowance may be paid for the entire period of 365 days after the death of the service member.  Spouses are also eligible to continue shopping in the commissaries and exchanges indefinitely unless they remarry.  Children of deceased service members may continue to use the commissaries and exchanges until they reach the age of eighteen or twenty-three if they are enrolled in college.  For more information, please speak with the Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO).

Yes.  A family retains some benefits and privileges following the death of a service member.  In addition to the TRICARE benefit, DoD offers some housing-related benefits and privileges to surviving family members, as well as continued access to the commissary, exchange, and various Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs.  Eligible family members living in government family housing on the date of the service member's death are entitled to continue living there without charge for a period of 365 days.  If a family vacates government housing prior to the 365 day limit, the family will be paid the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for the unused days.  For families not in government-owned housing, BAH or an overseas housing allowance may be paid for the entire period of 365 days after the death of the service member.  Spouses are also eligible to continue shopping in the commissaries and exchanges indefinitely unless they remarry.  Children of deceased service members may continue to use the commissaries and exchanges until they reach the age of eighteen or twenty-three if they are enrolled in college.  For more information, please speak with the Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO).

Yes, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and DoD offer a variety of insurance policies designed to provide service members and veterans with benefits that they may not be able to receive from private entities given the risk involved in military service.  For the VA-administered programs listed below, the service member is automatically enrolled and covered at the maximum amount unless the member opts to decline coverage or chooses a reduced coverage amount.  For the DoD-administered programs, service members are also automatically enrolled, but coverage amounts vary based on selected "base amounts" for the program.  Surviving family members are encouraged to speak with their Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) to determine the benefit level.

VA-Administered Programs:

• Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) - SGLI is a low-cost term life insurance protection policy for members of the uniformed Services payable in a non-taxable payment.  For service members in active duty or Ready Reserve status, the coverage for SGLI is automatically set at the maximum amount.   More information on the SGLI program can be found on the VA's SGLI website.
• Traumatic Injury Protection Under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) - When covered by SGLI, the TSGLI program automatically provides coverage for service members against traumatic injury resulting in certain severe loss.  Payment under the TSGLI program is a non-taxable sum which varies depending on the loss directly resulting from the traumatic injury.  More information on the TSGLI program can be found on the VA's TSGLI website.
• Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) - FSGLI automatically provides life insurance coverage to spouses and dependent children of service members covered by the SGLI program.  Coverage amounts for FSGLI cannot exceed the coverage selected for the service member in SGLI.  More information on the FSGLI program can be found on the VA's FSGLI website.
• Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) - After a service member separates from the military, he or she can convert SGLI into VGLI to continue the term life insurance policy coverage, but only at a coverage level equal to or less than the coverage level of SGLI at the time of separation.  The VGLI pays beneficiaries a tax-exempt payment equal to the level selected by the veteran and must be renewed every five years.  More information on the VGLI program can be found on the VA website.

DoD-Administered Programs:

• The Uniformed Services Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) - Administered by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), the SBP allows surviving family members to receive a portion of the service member's retired pay, even if the service member dies while on active duty.  Every service member is automatically enrolled in the program at no cost. Income received from the SBP is subject to tax.  More information on the SBP can be found on the Retired Pay section of the DFAS website.
• Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) - Similar to the SBP, the RCSBP is an annuity paid to surviving spouses and, in some instances, dependent children of Reserve Component service members who elected to enroll in the program, have died, and had completed the satisfactory years of service qualifying them for retirement pay.  As with the SBP, surviving spouses and/or dependent children can receive a portion of the elected RCSBP annuity base amount.  Income received from the RCSBP is subject to income tax.  More information on the RCSBP can be found on the DFAS website.
• Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) - Surviving spouse who are beneficiaries of the SBP annuity and whose SBP annuity is partially or fully offset by the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) may be eligible for an additional allowance through the military. This is automatically paid by the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) and does not require that surviving spouses apply for the allowance.  More information on the SSIA can be found on the DFAS website.

Yes, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and DoD offer a variety of insurance policies designed to provide service members and veterans with benefits that they may not be able to receive from private entities given the risk involved in military service.  For the VA-administered programs listed below, the service member is automatically enrolled and covered at the maximum amount unless the member opts to decline coverage or chooses a reduced coverage amount.  For the DoD-administered programs, service members are also automatically enrolled, but coverage amounts vary based on selected "base amounts" for the program.  Surviving family members are encouraged to speak with their Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) to determine the benefit level.

VA-Administered Programs:

• Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) - SGLI is a low-cost term life insurance protection policy for members of the uniformed Services payable in a non-taxable payment.  For service members in active duty or Ready Reserve status, the coverage for SGLI is automatically set at the maximum amount.   More information on the SGLI program can be found on the VA's SGLI website.
• Traumatic Injury Protection Under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) - When covered by SGLI, the TSGLI program automatically provides coverage for service members against traumatic injury resulting in certain severe loss.  Payment under the TSGLI program is a non-taxable sum which varies depending on the loss directly resulting from the traumatic injury.  More information on the TSGLI program can be found on the VA's TSGLI website.
• Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) - FSGLI automatically provides life insurance coverage to spouses and dependent children of service members covered by the SGLI program.  Coverage amounts for FSGLI cannot exceed the coverage selected for the service member in SGLI.  More information on the FSGLI program can be found on the VA's FSGLI website.
• Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) - After a service member separates from the military, he or she can convert SGLI into VGLI to continue the term life insurance policy coverage, but only at a coverage level equal to or less than the coverage level of SGLI at the time of separation.  The VGLI pays beneficiaries a tax-exempt payment equal to the level selected by the veteran and must be renewed every five years.  More information on the VGLI program can be found on the VA website.

DoD-Administered Programs:

• The Uniformed Services Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) - Administered by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), the SBP allows surviving family members to receive a portion of the service member's retired pay, even if the service member dies while on active duty.  Every service member is automatically enrolled in the program at no cost. Income received from the SBP is subject to tax.  More information on the SBP can be found on the Retired Pay section of the DFAS website.
• Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) - Similar to the SBP, the RCSBP is an annuity paid to surviving spouses and, in some instances, dependent children of Reserve Component service members who elected to enroll in the program, have died, and had completed the satisfactory years of service qualifying them for retirement pay.  As with the SBP, surviving spouses and/or dependent children can receive a portion of the elected RCSBP annuity base amount.  Income received from the RCSBP is subject to income tax.  More information on the RCSBP can be found on the DFAS website.
• Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) - Surviving spouse who are beneficiaries of the SBP annuity and whose SBP annuity is partially or fully offset by the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) may be eligible for an additional allowance through the military. This is automatically paid by the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) and does not require that surviving spouses apply for the allowance.  More information on the SSIA can be found on the DFAS website.

Upon the death of the service member, any unpaid pay and allowances that were due to the service member are paid to the beneficiary designated by the service member.  In most cases, unpaid pay and allowances include money earned during the month and accrued leave, but can also include other amounts due, such as travel reimbursement expenses, per diem expenses, shipment of household goods allowances, and unpaid installments of a variable reenlistment bonus.  The Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) can provide assistance with completing the required form for claiming unpaid pay and allowances.

Additionally, DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offer various financial benefits to assist family members during their time of grief.  The following programs are either annuity-styled monthly payments or a lump sum payment and are not subject to income tax:

VA Benefits:

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) - This is a monthly tax-free benefit paid to eligible surviving spouses and dependent children of a service member who died on active duty, veterans who died from service-related disabilities, and certain veterans who were being paid 100% VA disability compensation at time of death.  Benefits from DIC are not automatic; family members must apply to receive them through the VA.  More information on the DIC benefit can be found on the VA's Survivor's Benefits website.
• Parent(s) DIC - This is an income-based monthly benefit for parents of a service member or veteran who died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active duty or active duty for training; an injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty while on active duty or active duty for training; or a service-connected disability.  More information on the Parent(s) DIC benefit can be found on the VA's Survivor's Benefits website.
• Nonservice-Connected Death Pension - This is a benefit payable to eligible surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans based on financial need.  More information on the Nonservice-Connected Death Pension can be found on the VA's Survivor's Benefits website.

DoD Benefits:

• Death Gratuity - This is a lump sum payment to the surviving family of a service member to assist in meeting immediate living expenses.  Death Gratuity payments will only be made if the service member dies on active duty, active duty for training, inactive duty for training, or within 120 days of release from active duty due to a service-related disability.  More information on the Death Gratuity benefit can be provided by the CAO. 

Upon the death of the service member, any unpaid pay and allowances that were due to the service member are paid to the beneficiary designated by the service member.  In most cases, unpaid pay and allowances include money earned during the month and accrued leave, but can also include other amounts due, such as travel reimbursement expenses, per diem expenses, shipment of household goods allowances, and unpaid installments of a variable reenlistment bonus.  The Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) can provide assistance with completing the required form for claiming unpaid pay and allowances.

Additionally, DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offer various financial benefits to assist family members during their time of grief.  The following programs are either annuity-styled monthly payments or a lump sum payment and are not subject to income tax:

VA Benefits:

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) - This is a monthly tax-free benefit paid to eligible surviving spouses and dependent children of a service member who died on active duty, veterans who died from service-related disabilities, and certain veterans who were being paid 100% VA disability compensation at time of death.  Benefits from DIC are not automatic; family members must apply to receive them through the VA.  More information on the DIC benefit can be found on the VA's Survivor's Benefits website.
• Parent(s) DIC - This is an income-based monthly benefit for parents of a service member or veteran who died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active duty or active duty for training; an injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty while on active duty or active duty for training; or a service-connected disability.  More information on the Parent(s) DIC benefit can be found on the VA's Survivor's Benefits website.
• Nonservice-Connected Death Pension - This is a benefit payable to eligible surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans based on financial need.  More information on the Nonservice-Connected Death Pension can be found on the VA's Survivor's Benefits website.

DoD Benefits:

• Death Gratuity - This is a lump sum payment to the surviving family of a service member to assist in meeting immediate living expenses.  Death Gratuity payments will only be made if the service member dies on active duty, active duty for training, inactive duty for training, or within 120 days of release from active duty due to a service-related disability.  More information on the Death Gratuity benefit can be provided by the CAO. 

Yes.  The VA offers other benefits to certain surviving family members, such as the VA Home Loan Guaranty for Surviving Spouses, Work-Study Employment benefits, Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance, Vet Center Bereavement Counseling, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Services, Beneficiary Financial Counseling Service, and refunds for educational programs.

Yes.  The VA offers other benefits to certain surviving family members, such as the VA Home Loan Guaranty for Surviving Spouses, Work-Study Employment benefits, Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance, Vet Center Bereavement Counseling, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Services, Beneficiary Financial Counseling Service, and refunds for educational programs.

More information on VA-administered programs can be found on the VA website, through the VA's toll-free phone number (1-800-827-1000), through the Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS), or in person at any Regional VA office.

More information on VA-administered programs can be found on the VA website, through the VA's toll-free phone number (1-800-827-1000), through the Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS), or in person at any Regional VA office.

The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities, as everyone else, to participate in the mainstream of American life.  This includes the ability to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in state and local government programs and services.

The ADA covers all people with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, speaking, lifting, hearing, seeing, reading, sleeping, eating, concentrating, or working. This means that the ADA covers injured service members including those with traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, loss of a limb, vision or hearing loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This law covers everyone with a substantial impairment regardless of whether or not he or she is receiving benefits or other entitlements related to his or her disability.

The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities, as everyone else, to participate in the mainstream of American life.  This includes the ability to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in state and local government programs and services.

The ADA covers all people with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, speaking, lifting, hearing, seeing, reading, sleeping, eating, concentrating, or working. This means that the ADA covers injured service members including those with traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, loss of a limb, vision or hearing loss, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This law covers everyone with a substantial impairment regardless of whether or not he or she is receiving benefits or other entitlements related to his or her disability.

The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the areas of post-separation employment, customer access, and civic life.

Employment

• The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified employees or job applicants based on their disability including any eligibility standards that unfairly screen out people with disabilities.
• The Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, which means changing the work environment or job duties to eliminate barriers that keep an individual from being able to perform the job.
  • Typical examples of reasonable accommodations include providing flexible scheduling so an employee with a disability like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can attend counseling sessions, providing a parking space close to the entrance for an employee who has difficulty walking, allowing an employee to bring a service animal to work, or providing specialized equipment for an employee who has lost a hand or arm.

Customer Access

• Businesses that provide goods and services to the public, such as grocery stores, bars, restaurants, and medical offices, must make reasonable accommodations in their policies, procedures, and practices so that people with disabilities can be their customers.
  • Typical examples of reasonable accommodations include modifying a no pet policy to allow a service animal into a business or modifying a gym membership policy to allow a member with a disability to bring an aide.
• Businesses must communicate effectively with customers who have vision, hearing, or speech disabilities.  The businesses, not the customers, are responsible for providing the necessary tools or services.
  • Typical examples of effective communication accommodations include reading a menu to someone with vision loss or providing a large print copy of a rental contract.
• Businesses must remove architectural barriers when it is readily achievable to do so.
  • Typical examples of barrier removal include installing a ramp, providing accessible parking spaces, or lowering a paper towel dispenser.
• All facilities built since the ADA went into effect must be accessible to and usable by people who have mobility or sensory disabilities.

Civic Life

• State and local governments must modify activities and services to comply with the ADA.  Public services include public trade schools, community colleges, libraries, public hospitals, parks, public transportation, etc.  Governments must follow the ADA rules concerning policy modification, effective communication, and facility construction similar to the rules that businesses follow. 
• All programs have to be accessible, but not necessarily all facilities have to be accessible.  Governments can choose whether to remove barriers at an inaccessible facility, move a program to an accessible facility, or find another way to make it possible for people with disabilities to participate in the program.
  • Typical examples of modifications by a state or local government are relocating a public meeting to a wheelchair accessible location or allowing library book drop off by mail.
• If a city or county employs more than fifty people, it must have an ADA coordinator.  State agencies should have an ADA coordinator as well. 

The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the areas of post-separation employment, customer access, and civic life.

Employment

• The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified employees or job applicants based on their disability including any eligibility standards that unfairly screen out people with disabilities.
• The Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, which means changing the work environment or job duties to eliminate barriers that keep an individual from being able to perform the job.
  • Typical examples of reasonable accommodations include providing flexible scheduling so an employee with a disability like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can attend counseling sessions, providing a parking space close to the entrance for an employee who has difficulty walking, allowing an employee to bring a service animal to work, or providing specialized equipment for an employee who has lost a hand or arm.

Customer Access

• Businesses that provide goods and services to the public, such as grocery stores, bars, restaurants, and medical offices, must make reasonable accommodations in their policies, procedures, and practices so that people with disabilities can be their customers.
  • Typical examples of reasonable accommodations include modifying a no pet policy to allow a service animal into a business or modifying a gym membership policy to allow a member with a disability to bring an aide.
• Businesses must communicate effectively with customers who have vision, hearing, or speech disabilities.  The businesses, not the customers, are responsible for providing the necessary tools or services.
  • Typical examples of effective communication accommodations include reading a menu to someone with vision loss or providing a large print copy of a rental contract.
• Businesses must remove architectural barriers when it is readily achievable to do so.
  • Typical examples of barrier removal include installing a ramp, providing accessible parking spaces, or lowering a paper towel dispenser.
• All facilities built since the ADA went into effect must be accessible to and usable by people who have mobility or sensory disabilities.

Civic Life

• State and local governments must modify activities and services to comply with the ADA.  Public services include public trade schools, community colleges, libraries, public hospitals, parks, public transportation, etc.  Governments must follow the ADA rules concerning policy modification, effective communication, and facility construction similar to the rules that businesses follow. 
• All programs have to be accessible, but not necessarily all facilities have to be accessible.  Governments can choose whether to remove barriers at an inaccessible facility, move a program to an accessible facility, or find another way to make it possible for people with disabilities to participate in the program.
  • Typical examples of modifications by a state or local government are relocating a public meeting to a wheelchair accessible location or allowing library book drop off by mail.
• If a city or county employs more than fifty people, it must have an ADA coordinator.  State agencies should have an ADA coordinator as well. 

There are other federal disability rights laws that cover housing, air travel, telecommunications, federal programs, and other topics.  More information about these laws can be found in A Guide to Disability Rights Laws.

In addition, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) prohibits discrimination against employees or job applicants on the basis of their military status or military obligations.  It also protects the reemployment rights of people who leave civilian jobs to serve in the uniformed services.  It applies to all veterans, not just those with service-connected disabilities.  Under USERRA, employers must make reasonable efforts to help returning employees become qualified for reemployment in the positions they would have attained if they had not left for military duty or in comparable positions.  More information is available under the USERRA topic in the MilitaryHOMEFRONT Troops and Families section.

Across the United States, organizations called Independent Living Centers provide information about benefit programs and other services for people with disabilities.  Contact information for local centers can be accessed by calling 800-949-4232 (voice and TTY).

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies also offer services to help people with disabilities enter or return to employment. State-by-state contact information is available through the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.

There are other federal disability rights laws that cover housing, air travel, telecommunications, federal programs, and other topics.  More information about these laws can be found in A Guide to Disability Rights Laws.

In addition, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) prohibits discrimination against employees or job applicants on the basis of their military status or military obligations.  It also protects the reemployment rights of people who leave civilian jobs to serve in the uniformed services.  It applies to all veterans, not just those with service-connected disabilities.  Under USERRA, employers must make reasonable efforts to help returning employees become qualified for reemployment in the positions they would have attained if they had not left for military duty or in comparable positions.  More information is available under the USERRA topic in the MilitaryHOMEFRONT Troops and Families section.

Across the United States, organizations called Independent Living Centers provide information about benefit programs and other services for people with disabilities.  Contact information for local centers can be accessed by calling 800-949-4232 (voice and TTY).

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies also offer services to help people with disabilities enter or return to employment. State-by-state contact information is available through the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.

The ADA: Know Your Rights – Returning Service Members with Disabilities booklet provides an in-depth explanation of the ADA as well as links to other helpful publications and additional contact information for many different agencies.  Additional information is also available on the ADA website or by calling 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).

The ADA: Know Your Rights – Returning Service Members with Disabilities booklet provides an in-depth explanation of the ADA as well as links to other helpful publications and additional contact information for many different agencies.  Additional information is also available on the ADA website or by calling 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).