Objective: The outcomes of employment discrimination charges filed under th
e Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) by individuals with psychiatric dis
abilities and those with other disabilities were compared, Methods: Data ob
tained fi om the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) consisted o
f all ADA employment claims closed as of March 31, 1998, Charges were categ
orized by whether they were investigated bl the EEOC or by a Fair Employmen
t Practice Agency (FEPA). Results: Of the 175,226 charges filed, 83.2 perce
nt were closed by March 31, 1998, Of these, 15.7 percent brought some kind
of benefit to charging parties, although only 1.7 pet-cent resulted in new
hires or reinstatements, Of charges investigated by FEPAs, 23.3 percent led
to some benefit, compared with 11.5 percent of charges investigated by the
EEOC, Of charges investigated by the EEOC, the median actual monetary bene
fit was 85,646. compared with $2,400 for charges investigated by, FEP.-ts.
A total of 13.6 percent of charges filed by individuals with psychiatric di
sabilities resulted in benefits, compared with a benefit rate of 16 pel cen
t for Del sons with other disabilities. The median actual monetary, benefit
received by persons with psychiatric disabilities was $5,000, compared wit
h $3,500 for those with nonpsychiatric disabilities. Individuals whose char
ges were investigated in the first three years of ADA implementation were m
ore likely to receive benefits than individuals whose changes were investig
ated more recently. Conclusions: Most employment discrimination charges fil
ed under the ADA do not result in benefits ol a finding of reasonable cause
. Outcomes for people with psychiatric disabilities do not differ substanti
ally from those for people with other disabilities.