If you have already submitted a request for your ADA work to be done on your website, continue to watch for correspondence from Brandi Neely regarding your individual situation.
Otherwise we highly suggest you continue reading and take action immediately.
Are you staying up to date with the latest ADA requirements for your website and property? Do you know whether or not you are exempt from providing accessible lodging? Did you know that regardless of your exemption status, your website must be ADA compliant? What’s more, although some innkeepers may claim to be exempt, the law still implies that facilities should do what they "reasonably" (structurally and/or financially) can to make their property accessible.
This is not an issue to address at a later date. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of innkeepers facing lawsuits, especially in California, and some say it will continue to get worse. Read more about US lawsuits here.
There are two sides to the ADA requirements:
- Accessible Website – All websites are required to be accessible to all people, including those who are seeing or hearing-impaired. To be accessible would mean that all videos provide transcripts, all photos contain alt text (descriptions), and that every aspect of your website can be utilized with a specialized computer reader.
- Accessible Property Information Conveyed on Website – It’s important to convey what physical handicap amenities you offer on your property. For example, handicap parking, wheelchair ramps, 36" wide openings, accessible countertops, grab bars, etc. You may offer some of these features even if you are not required to provide a handicap accessible room. This information must be communicated to the public so that a handicapped person, regardless of their handicap, can easily determine whether or not they would be able to book a stay at your property, which room is accessible, and that the accessible room is held until all other rooms are booked, which includes your booking engine.
Accessibility Statements – An Accessibility Statement should be added to your website, after the coding effort has completed, to make it clear how both your website and your property is accessible to handicap individuals, including if you are exempt.
There are two types of exemptions you may request that we include in your Accessibility Statement. We are not attorneys, therefore, each client should consult your own legal counsel to verify if the content and statements accurately represent your situation.
- You do not offer any handicap accessible accommodations since the establishment is located within a facility that contains not more than five rooms for rent or hire and that is occupied by the proprietor of the establishment as the residence of the proprietor. (5 U.S.C. 301; 28 U.S.C. 509, 510; 42 U.S.C. 12186(b). § 36.104 Definitions).
- You are listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.) or is designated as historic under State or local law (§ 36.405 Alterations: Historic preservation.).
Click the the link below to approve this work be completed, and to be provided with your next steps on communicating your physical side of ADA accessibility.
Once you submit the form, you will receive the two video links on both the physical side and website side of ADA. If you haven't yet watched them, we recommend you take the time to do so.
ADA work is both time and cost intensive, and if you haven't already requested assistance with updating your Website, you are already behind the curve. Do not wait until you receive a complaint, as that all these projects are scheduled on a first come first serve basis.
