Legal Definitions - major life activity

In U.S. disability law, specifically under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and its subsequent ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), a major life activity refers to the fundamental tasks and functions that an average person can perform with relative ease. This concept is crucial because, to be considered to have a disability under the law, an individual's impairment must substantially limit one or more of these major life activities.

The law provides a broad, non-exhaustive list of what constitutes a major life activity. These include common daily tasks such as:

• Caring for oneself (e.g., bathing, dressing)
• Performing manual tasks (e.g., using hands, lifting)
• Sensory functions (e.g., seeing, hearing)
• Basic bodily functions (e.g., eating, sleeping, walking, standing, breathing)
• Communication and cognitive functions (e.g., speaking, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating)
• Working

The ADAAA further expanded this definition to explicitly include major bodily functions, such as those of the immune system, digestive system, neurological system, respiratory system, circulatory system, and endocrine system, among others. Importantly, a condition can qualify as substantially limiting a major life activity even if it is episodic (occurs in episodes) or in remission, as long as it would substantially limit a major life activity when active.

Here are some examples illustrating what a "major life activity" encompasses:

• Example 1: Impaired Manual Tasks and Working
  Imagine a professional chef who develops severe rheumatoid arthritis in their hands and wrists. This condition makes it excruciatingly painful and difficult for them to chop vegetables, lift heavy pots, or grip utensils for more than a few minutes at a time. This impairment substantially limits their ability to perform manual tasks and, consequently, their ability to work effectively in their profession, which heavily relies on precise hand movements and physical strength. Even though they can still walk and see, the significant impact on their hand use and work qualifies as a limitation of major life activities.

• Example 2: Impaired Cognitive and Neurological Functions
  Consider a project manager who experiences a traumatic brain injury. Following the injury, they find it extremely difficult to concentrate on complex reports, struggle to remember new instructions, and have trouble organizing their thoughts to communicate clearly during team meetings. This impairment affects their neurological function and substantially limits their ability to concentrate, think, and communicate, which are considered major life activities.

• Example 3: Episodic Limitation of Bodily Functions and Walking
  Think of an individual with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological condition that can cause unpredictable flare-ups. During these episodes, they experience severe muscle weakness and extreme fatigue, making it difficult to walk more than a few steps without assistance or to stand for any significant period. Even though the MS might be in remission at other times, its impact on their neurological function and ability to walk and stand during active periods qualifies as a substantial limitation of major life activities.