Why should your business be ADA Compliant?
Because 50+ Seniors and People living with disabilities have $379 Billion to spend!
Because the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design is the LAW!
What is ADA Compliant?
An ADA compliant Place of Accommodation meets the standards established by Tittle III of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
What is the Americans With Disabilities Act?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities, that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion.
The ADA is legislation that is intended to “establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability” and to ensure access and participation in society for persons with disabilities.
It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local government services and telecommunications.
People living with disabilities are America’s LARGEST MINORITY group.
How does the ADA address Diversity?
The term diversity can encompass several dimensions, such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation and disability.
Diversity, disability, and human resource professionals need to be aware of these dimensions when helping their companies recruit and retain employees, sell in the marketplace and define diversity within their organizations.
Persons with disabilities have the ability to make positive contributions in the workplace, the marketplace and to the success of organizations.
What are Title III: Public Accommodations?
It is a violation of the law to discriminate against people with disabilities in Places of Public Accommodation.
The ADA requires that architectural barriers be removed when the removal is readily achievable and technically feasible.
Readily achievable barrier removal is that which can be done without the greatest cost or difficulty. However, the cost and difficulty are relative to the size and the overall assets of the person or company that owns and/or leases the facility.
How is Title III of the ADA Enforced?
The U.S. Department of Justice has been given the responsibility of enforcing the ADA. However, the staff of the Public Access Section is small and only a limited amount of enforcement is possible by the D.O.J.
The ADA contains a citizen’s enforcement provision that allows any individual with a disability to enforce the ADA through civil litigation.
A person with a disability may file a lawsuit seeking injunctive relief in the United States District Court.
The ADA provides for payment of plaintiff legal fees and costs by the defendant so that the individuals with disabilities do not have to be able to afford legal fees in order to enforce this law.
Most of the enforcement of the ADA, especially Title III has been through plaintiff litigation by individuals with disabilities.
What is a Place of Public Accommodation?
Any commercial facility that is open to the public is a Place of Public Accommodation.
12 ADA categories of Places of Public Accommodation
- Places of lodging
- Establishments serving food or drink
- Places of exhibition or entertainment
- Public places of gathering
- Sales or rental establishments
- Service establishments
- Stations used for specified public transportation
- Places of public display or collections
- Places of reflection
- Places of education
- Social service center establishments
- Places of exercise or recreation
Why should your business have an Accessibility Survey for your facilities?
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- ADA inspections cover all of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and guidelines to limit your liability.
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- ADA inspections cover all of the 2012 Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction guidelines to limit your liability.
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- The ADA Inspection Report provides the information to save your business the potential embarrassment, cost, and aggravation of an unexpected lawsuit.
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- By correcting accessibility issues, you will increase your brand experience for more consumers.
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- Changes in buildings happen over time by builders, contractors, owners, tenants, managers and others that often result in a non-compliant facility. The ADA Inspection Report provides awareness of items that might no longer be ADA compliant.
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- Buildings built prior to the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are NOT completely grandfathered in. The report will point out areas for improvement for facility maintenance planning.
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- “Designed to CODE” means MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE STANDARD. Do you want your customers to have a “minimum” experience?
What does the ADA Inspection Report include and what follow-up services are available?
- Our ADA Consultants thoroughly inspect, measure and photograph each area of your facility relative to the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction
- We show you where your facility is out of compliance and provide smart solutions for you to implement.
- We can show you what is possible.
- We can recommend qualified licensed Architects and Engineers to draw any required construction documents.
- We can recommend qualified licensed Building Contractors to make the necessary repairs.
- We can recommend suppliers and resources.
- We can direct you to Tax Credit information.
- We are available to answer your team’s questions.
- We are available to for site visits to answer questions during construction.
- We are available to review the completed renovations in person with you for compliance verification.
- We can provide an ADA Post Compliance Audit Report.
- We can suggest solutions for non-code observations, like sound, smell, temperature, color and other environmental concerns that might adversely affect the employee and consumer experience.
Disability Smart Solutions provides ADA Accessibility Survey Inspections for specific Places of Public Accommodation.
Please follow each individual link for detailed information.
Please contact us to schedule your ADA Accessibility Survey.
Disability Smart Solutions Services Include:
Please follow each individual link for detailed information.
Please contact us to schedule your review your needs.
