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Protect People with Diabetes from Discrimination

Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: American Diabetes Association

Stephen Orr, a pharmacist at a Wal-Mart in Nebraska, was fired for taking lunch breaks to manage his diabetes. Yet he was never able to remedy this injustice.

The reason?

Courts have been throwing out diabetes discrimination cases because of an absurd Catch 22, siding with employers who claim that a person with diabetes is "too disabled" to do the job, but not "disabled enough" to be protected by the laws!

That's what happened to Stephen.

The stakes are huge: if a person with diabetes isn’t covered by anti-disability discrimination law, then it's perfectly legal to fire or refuse to hire that person explicitly because of his or her diabetes.

It’s clear Congress intended to protect people with diabetes and other chronic diseases from discrimination when they passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. But that’s not how the courts have interpreted the law.

Help make sure that women and men who should be protected from discrimination are indeed protected! Tell the Senate to support "The Americans with Disabilities Act Restoration Act."

deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 40,000

22,416
signatures!

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Dear Members of Congress,

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was created to protect people with disabilities, including a chronic illness like diabetes, from discrimination. And while the ADA has provided numerous benefits, a series of Supreme Court decisions have severely narrowed who is covered by the law such that many of those Congress meant to protect can no longer challenge unfair treatment based on their disability.

An absurd Catch-22 has developed where employers are allowed to say a person with a chronic illness like diabetes is "too disabled" to do the job, but not "disabled enough" to be protected by the laws. The case is thrown out and the person is never given the chance to prove he or she can safely and effectively do the work. Ironically, the better a worker does at managing his or her disease, the less likely he or she is to be protected from employment discrimination.

This isn't what Congress intended when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed with bipartisan support in 1990, and now you have a chance to correct that.

I hope you will show your support for your constituents living with diabetes and other chronic diseases and co-sponsor the Americans with Disabilities Act Restoration Act (S. 1881/H.R. 3195). Doing so will help the ADA rightfully reclaim its place among our nation's great civil rights laws.

[Your comment here]

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

We signed the “Protect People with Diabetes from Discrimination” petition!

# 22,350:

7:21 pm PDT, May 30, Debora Bonacio, California

# 22,349:

10:33 am PDT, May 30, Haven Byrne, Kansas

# 22,348:

9:47 am PDT, May 30, Ana Jessee, California

# 22,347:

10:05 pm PDT, May 29, Roy Cox, California

# 22,346:

8:05 pm PDT, May 29, Rohan Kuruppu Kuruppu, California

# 22,345:

6:32 pm PDT, May 29, Melanie Fowler, California

# 22,344:

7:41 am PDT, May 29, Henry McGill, California

# 22,343:

6:53 am PDT, May 29, Michelle Cox, California

# 22,342:

3:09 pm PDT, May 28, Devan Schlueter, Minnesota

# 22,341:

3:07 pm PDT, May 28, Steven Grossvogel, Georgia

# 22,340:

11:48 am PDT, May 28, DAWN CULLIN, New York

# 22,339:

4:52 pm PDT, May 27, Becca G, Michigan
that is wrong!

# 22,338:

10:09 am PDT, May 23, Carol Vaughn, South Carolina

# 22,337:

10:35 am PDT, May 22, Name not displayed, California

# 22,336:

8:39 pm PDT, May 20, Name not displayed, Philippines

# 22,335:

3:45 pm PDT, May 19, Susan Edelstein, North Carolina

# 22,334:

9:40 pm PDT, May 15, Tori Bush, Florida

# 22,333:

6:26 am PDT, May 15, Lori Ackman, West Virginia
My daughter has been a diabetic most of her young life, I daily teach her to defend herself, and ensure that sheis able to care for herself with regard to anyone and anything. This is positively rediculous.

# 22,332:

1:50 am PDT, May 14, Ananska Andrea, Puerto Rico

# 22,331:

8:05 am PDT, May 13, Marjorie Miller, Georgia

# 22,330:

4:23 pm PDT, May 11, Aaeron Robb, Maryland

# 22,329:

9:20 pm PDT, May 9, Lloyd Connolly, Australia

# 22,328:

9:18 am PDT, May 9, Jamie Douglas, Rhode Island
I'm a diabetic and this is outrages! Even if I weren't a diabetic, I still support anyone with a disability. Before I became disabled, I worked with people who were severaly disabled and they were amongst the best workers. People with disabilites are capable of working. Sometimes they just need a little time to manage their disability,and a little understanding.Think..what if you were to become disabled in some way..would you want to lose your job? Stop this outrage now! This is America after all ! What is happening to the land of Free and the home of the Brave???

# 22,327:

10:52 am PDT, May 8, Name not displayed, Georgia

# 22,326:

9:34 am PDT, May 8, Name not displayed, Pennsylvania
As one of millions of diabetics, I urge you to support this or any bill which would protect working diabetics from discrimination.

# 22,325:

8:48 am PDT, May 8, Laurie Buskager, Texas

# 22,324:

3:41 am PDT, May 8, William Coulter, Canada

# 22,323:

2:54 am PDT, May 7, Sue Harris, United Kingdom

# 22,322:

6:26 am PDT, May 4, Bogdan Kovacev, Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of

# 22,321:

9:10 am PDT, May 2, Ashley Simpson, New York

# 22,320:

3:06 pm PDT, May 1, Julieta Degiovani, Brazil

# 22,319:

5:14 pm PDT, Apr 30, Name not displayed, Minnesota

# 22,318:

8:31 pm PDT, Apr 29, Samantha Trosky, Illinois
This is a horrible way to treat a fellow human being! My mother died due to complications of this awful disease! I think people should stop shopping at Wal-mart until this is properly resolved!

# 22,317:

10:24 pm PDT, Apr 28, Anita Kofta, Wisconsin

# 22,316:

8:57 pm PDT, Apr 27, Regina Bennett, North Carolina
I am a type 1 diabetic for 30 years and have come acros issues in my life concerning this. Please do right by those of us who are. I was a child when I developed this and I certainly didn't ask for this, so in lieu of this fact, I am asking for your support with this issue. Thank you for your support!

# 22,315:

7:36 pm PDT, Apr 27, Michael Field, Pennsylvania

# 22,314:

4:44 pm PDT, Apr 27, Gary Lampman, Tennessee

# 22,313:

9:50 am PDT, Apr 27, Lisa Murray, California

# 22,312:

8:30 pm PDT, Apr 26, Seth Stern, New Jersey

# 22,311:

1:18 am PDT, Apr 26, Joanie Winchester, Virginia

# 22,310:

11:10 pm PDT, Apr 25, Aunita Tyler, Iowa
People with disabilities are NOT second class citizens and should not be treated like they are. They want the same as everyone, to live their lives to the fullest and do the best they can. Why does it have to be so difficult for them to get what they need to do this?

# 22,309:

8:59 pm PDT, Apr 25, Brent Hergert, Oregon

# 22,308:

12:37 pm PDT, Apr 25, Eric Cox, Ohio

# 22,307:

9:02 am PDT, Apr 25, Carrie Kistner, Connecticut
All people with special medical needs who want to work should be protected from employment discrimination, not only the "disabled". Please make the necessary changes to the ADA.

# 22,306:

7:26 am PDT, Apr 25, Mary E. Lorio, New York

# 22,305:

11:14 am PDT, Apr 24, Ronald Gontko, Michigan

# 22,304:

10:50 am PDT, Apr 23, Leesa Astredo, Louisiana

# 22,303:

3:42 am PDT, Apr 22, Faith Marcelino, Philippines

# 22,302:

2:53 pm PDT, Apr 21, Carol Harris, Iowa

# 22,301:

7:41 am PDT, Apr 21, Name not displayed, North Carolina

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