Quote Quoting NurseC
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Here is the deal with what I was asking about. Our worship leader removed a lady who played an instrument for over 12 years at our church because she thinks her wheelchair is a "distraction" to our worship. This lady has always played in front of the first pew until we moved into a new sanctuary where there is wheelchair accessibility but all of a sudden the worship leader does not want her on the platform. I am disturbed that she can do this to her just because of her being in a wheelchair. It does not seem legal. It is definately not morally right!
Unfortunately for her the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III, which applies to places of public accommodation, specifically excludes “religious organizations or entities controlled by religious organizations, including places of worship” from its requirements. 42 U.S.C. § 12187. The ADA does apply to churches with respect to how they treat their employees as ADA Title I does not have the same exemption for religious organizations. Thus, the church has not violated the ADA here unless the lady is an employee of the church while playing at church services (i.e. she is paid a wage or salary to play). Illinois has a law very much like the ADA and, like the ADA, it excludes religious organizations and houses of worship from the requirements for places of public accommodation. Again, though, state law may be violated here if she is an employee of the church.