ADA Accessibility in Banks: Guidelines and Requirements

Discover best practices to avoid litigation, or to defend a bank's compliance with the ADA should litigation commence or be threatened.

All banks can be places of public accommodation, and must comply with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The statute and implementing regulations are complex and technical, and not always clear as to what is required. Some important areas of the law have no governing regulations at all, so banks and other businesses must guess at what the law requires. Banks and other places of public accommodation face potential enforcement action by the Department of Justice, complaints from unhappy disabled customers, and lawsuits from claimants and their lawyers who file a high volume of lawsuits under Title III, including against banks. This topic helps professionals in legal, human resources, IT, and facilities, who are responsible for disabled access and compliance, understand how to evaluate and achieve compliance with Title III of the ADA, develop written policies, document a barrier removal plan for pre-ADA properties, stay current with the latest case law and legal developments, and meet the specific regulations that apply to banks and banking services. The material also explains best practices to avoid litigation, or to defend a bank's compliance with the ADA should litigation commence or be threatened. Preparedness can avoid or minimize legal and compliance costs, enhance customer and public relations, and assure legal access for disabled customers to bank property and services.