by Mary Lord

About the author: Mary Lord is an assistant managing editor for U.S. News &World Report.

Business owners from beauticians to restaurateurs are in a sweat. On July 26, 1992, the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act kick in, and federal hot lines are being swamped by calls from concerned managers.

While few employers quarrel with the ADA’s aim of integrating some 43 million disabled Americans into the workplace, many are uncertain about their precise obligations in achieving it. Can companies be sued if they fail to install elevators or undertake other costly renovations? What if reassigning a disabled employee violates union seniority rules? To anxious retailers like Mike Madison, who is trying to determine whether he must build ramps and new restrooms in his Madison’s Home Furnishings stores, in Boise...