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Avoiding ADA Lawsuits for Facility Managers in North Jersey

Posted by Gary Baron on Tue, Apr 19, 2016 @ 12:50 PM

Avoiding ADA Lawsuits fo Facility Managers in North JerseyIn recent years, there have been a growing number of lawsuits filed against facilities and businesses for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If guilty, these lawsuits can cost you $5,000 or more for each complaint. Removing accessibility barriers is important for avoiding ADA lawsuits for facility managers in North Jersey. Fortunately, The Sign Center has you covered with four simple steps for making sure you are in compliance with the ADA.

1. Assess How You Are Doing

Understanding the basics of the ADA is a good first step. Commercial buildings and public accommodations are covered in Title III of the ADA. It prohibits any individual who leases, runs, or owns a venue from discriminating based on disability in the equal and full enjoyment of the advantages, facilities, goods, accommodations, privileges, and services of any place open to the public. It is important to understand that the ADA is not a building code. It is a civil rights law. So, it is enforced by federal agencies and through private suits.

2. Create an Implementation Plan

Once you have assessed where you are, you can create a plan for removing barriers. You can create your own time frame for completing this plan since immediate and complete compliance is not required by the ADA standards. However, you are inviting substantial damages, costs, penalties, and lawsuits if you do nothing or if you take slipshod, half-hearted measures. You are obligated to remove accessibility barriers, and managers are expected to take steps to improve their facilities over time.

3. Carry Your Plan Out

ADA Signs fo Facility Managers in North JerseyAccording to the 1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, you are required to remove barriers to the extent that it is easily accomplishable and able to be done without much expense or difficulty. Both your short-term and long-term business planning should include plans for continued accessibility improvements. For instance, facility managers and property owners may consider including previously deferred barriers into their yearly planning process. A record of this should be in your accessibility compliance plan.

4. Turn to the Law for Guidance

There are nearly 300 pages in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. That is a bit much for most facility managers. Yet, there are a number of resources that will help you make sense of it all, including the United States Department of Justice ADA site and the U.S. Access Board site.

ADA Rules for Facility Managers in North JerseyADA compliance is not only required by the law, it is good for sales. Americans with disabilities make up a significant proportion of the consumer market. When you meet the needs of the disabled, it will reflect favorably upon your organization.

Does this all leave you scratching your head? Most facility managers have enough on their plate without worrying about avoiding ADA lawsuits for facility managers in North Jersey. Fortunately, The Sign Center can take care of your signage needs for you. With one call, we will come out, perform a site survey, and create the markers you need to be in compliance.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Request Your Free Quote on ADA Compliant Signs!

Topics: Facility Management ADA Guidelines, How to Avoid an ADA Lawsuit, ADA Signs for Facility Managers

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