The two major laws are the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 only extends to the federal government and protects only workers in the federal sector. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) applies to all employees—both in the private and public sector—provided that their employer has 15 or more full-time employees for the calendar year. The Rehabilitation Act uses the term “handicap,” while the ADA uses the term “disability.”