The Access Board, an independent federal agency established to create guidelines for the Act after it was established in 1990, has proposed revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Acts and if accepted, the effect the changes could have on small business are far reaching.

If the proposals are accepted, all facets of small business will be affected, including employee work areas that would be required to have accessible routes for the disabled, even if the company is not considered "open to the public," the article stated.

According to an article in the Washington Post, the Justice Department is considering the new proposals, the first since the law was established, and some people with disabilities are backing the proposals, saying the original ADA doesn't do enough to eliminate barriers for the disabled in public places. However, small businesses worry about the cost they will have to incur if made to become complaint with the ADA.

A representative of one small business, Robert Hood of Bard Manufacturing Co., told the Washington Post that his company might not be able to afford the new work-are rules because they can't provide extra floor space to comply with the guidelines.