americans with disabilities act
Stools and Stereotypes: Why Accommodating Disabilities in Hotels Is Non-Negotiable
Chuck Simikian | October 23, 2024
An employee comes to you and says they need a stool to sit on while they do their job. You immediately think – “We don’t have stools for employees to sit on. That is a standing position.” But….is that the correct response? What should you do? It is a common scenario that I frequently see in my HR career supporting the hospitality industry. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in effect for nearly 35 years, yet many employers still struggle with accommodating disabilities in the workplace. A recent lawsuit filed by the EEOC against TNNY Hotel, LLC, and other entities operating The Ned NoMad hotel in Manhattan h...
The Opportunities for Highly ADA-Compliant Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 29, 2024
By Adam Mogelonsky, Larry Mogelonsky The hotel industry has seen an explosion of new brands and sub-brands over the past two decades, and this trend shows no signs of abating. This diversification is driven by various forces, with a prominent rationale being that emergent brands can better appeal to niche interests, microsegments or specific customer identities. We see this trend in the rise of the extended stay category (Home2 Suites by Hilton, Residence Inn by Marriott, Hyatt House) and the growth of serviced apartment or aparthotel brands. Premium and luxury segments have also excelled by focusing on particular value propositions, wh...
AHLA Statement Regarding Supreme Court Decision in Landmark Hotel Case
AHLA | December 6, 2023
WASHINGTON (Dec. 6, 2023) – After the U.S. Supreme Court vacated and remanded the case of Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer to the First Circuit Court of Appeals, American Hotel & Lodging Association President & CEO Chip Rogers released the following statement: “Tester lawsuits, in which plaintiffs file hundreds of legal complaints against hotels seeking quick settlements, have become a cottage industry in the United States. In this case, a hotel decided to fight this scheme and in doing so shed light on the extortive practice. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a critical civil rights law, but this case was never about leg...
The Hospitality Industry’s Responsibility in Enhancing Disability Accessibility
Tanya Girdhar John | December 5, 2023
By Tanya Girdhar John Disability accessibility in hospitality is one of its most essential needs. According to an article by Skift more than half of hotels around the world don’t make it easy to book a room for senior citizens or guests with accessibility needs. While this may not be true for all hospitality businesses across the globe, the industry stakeholders have a responsibility to create spaces that cater to the diverse needs of their guests. In today’s inclusive world, ensuring accessibility for all is not only a legal requirement but also a moral imperative. But the concept of accessibility also impacts businesses fr...
ADA Update: New Website Accessibility Law Impacting Most Businesses
Jim Butler | October 31, 2023
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of HotelLawBlog.com Many hotel owners already know they need to pay attention to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, both to provide a positive experience for guests and to avoid costly litigation. A proposed new California law, however, should bring their focus to website accessibility; if adopted, business owners, as well as their web developers, would be vulnerable to substantial statutory damages and attorney’s fee if sued by a plaintiff who succeeds in court. JMBM’s ADA Compliance and Defense Team outlines the potential impact of this law...
Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Hotel Case
AHLA | April 3, 2023
WASHINGTON (April 3, 2023) – After the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would hear the case of Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer, American Hotel & Lodging Association President & CEO Chip Rogers released the following statement. “The Supreme Court’s decision to hear this case is welcome news for AHLA members,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer is all about frivolous lawsuits brought by litigants alleging harm by hotels they have no intention of ever visiting. The justices have a chance to put a stop to this abuse of our legal system, and we are hopeful they will make the right c...
Hotel ADA Website Compliance – What You Need to Know
Lodging Interactive | February 20, 2018
Most people can experience the world through the internet. Travel information and choices to make those travel arrangements are at our fingertips. Now imagine a world where you could not easily access the internet to search for hotels and airlines that provide accommodations and accessibility for your specific needs? For most of us, this is not something we need to consider but, for the disabled, it's a daily challenge. To understand their frustrations in navigating a site is to understand what it means to make your hotel website "ADA compliant". You need to view it from their perspective. That is, putting yourself in the place of a dis...
AH&LA Commends House Introduction of Legislation to Strengthen the ADA, Stop ‘Drive-by’ Lawsuits
American Hotel & Lodging Association | October 21, 2015
Washington, D.C. – October 21, 2015 – Twenty five years after the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law, AH&LA today endorsed the "The ADA Education and Reform Act of 2015," H.R. 3765, introduced by Representative Ted Poe (TX-2). This legislation builds on the historic progress made by the ADA and restores the integrity of the law by addressing the unseemly practice of "drive-by" lawsuits. The bill reforms Title III of the ADA, which covers private businesses open to the public, by specifying clear, unambiguous rules for identifying and correcting ADA access violations before allowing litigation or a ...
