Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS) Certification 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The definition of “disability” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is specifically characterized by a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This emphasizes that for an individual to be recognized as having a disability, their impairment must significantly restrict their ability to perform routine tasks that the average person can accomplish without limitations. Major life activities can include a wide range of functions such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

It is important to note that a temporary condition affecting daily activities, while potentially significant personally, does not qualify under the ADA unless it can be shown to have a long-term impact on major life activities. Similarly, while special accommodations may be needed in the workplace due to a disability, the mere necessity of such adjustments does not itself denote a disability. Lastly, chronic illnesses that do not negatively impact job performance generally do not meet the ADA's criteria for a disability unless they substantially limit major life activities. Thus, the essence of what constitutes a disability, as highlighted by the ADA, directly points to the substantial limitation of significant life functions.