ADA Restaurant Check

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

U.S. Attorney’s Office to Review City and Suburban Restaurants for Compliance with Americans With Disabilities Act

CHICAGO — The United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago has launched a review of restaurants in the city and suburbs to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, authorities announced today.

The purpose of the review is to ensure that the restaurants are accessible to persons with disabilities.  The initiative is undertaken in accordance with the congressionally-mandated responsibility to review compliance with the ADA.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office hopes to work cooperatively with restaurant owners who are found to be non-compliant.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act is an important civil rights law,” said Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.  “Restaurant owners must conform to its accessibility provisions, and we will pursue all reasonable measures to ensure compliance.”

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the passage of the ADA.  The Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in places of public accommodation, including restaurants, and requires such places to be “designed, constructed, and altered in compliance with the accessibility standards” established by the ADA’s implementing regulations.

As part of the program, an initial selection of restaurant owners in Chicago and the suburbs will be asked to complete a survey pertaining to their restaurant’s accessibility.  Federal investigators may then conduct on-site inspections of the facilities to confirm survey responses and to evaluate compliance with ADA regulations.  The initial round of surveys is being sent to the restaurants today.

Non-compliant owners and operators will initially have the option to voluntarily agree to upgrade their facilities to meet ADA requirements.  However, owners and operators found to be engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination – and those who fail to enter voluntary compliance agreements – may face a civil lawsuit and be subject to monetary penalties and civil fines.

Additional information about the ADA can be found atwww.ada.gov, or by calling the toll-free information line at the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or(800) 514-0383 (TTY).


Comments

ADA Restaurant Check — 5 Comments

  1. G H Bush signed this act in 1990 so it is about time restaurants are in compliance and you can thank him.

  2. And this will cause even more restaurants to go out of business.

    There are little restaurants in McHenry County that won’t be able to afford alterations such as elevators in old and tight buildings in downtown areas. Govt. intrusion.

    Free markets-let people with disabilities decide which restaurants to boycott if they don’t construct ramps or cannot install an elevator.

  3. At least now the U.S. Attorney’s office will leave all those innocent financial institutions, mortgage holding hedge funds, REITS, FANNIE MAE, AIG executives and collaborating politicians alone instead, focusing on real malfeasance occurring around us, restaurant proprietors.

    Landon, refrain from phrases like “free market” and “individual choice”. We are in a county where our [Republican] local government has as part of its mission statement terms like “social, environmental and economic justice” without mention of what these phrases mean, cost to individual taxpayer or mentioning traditional conservative values like minimalist government (in size and cost) or individual liberty. Ergo, full time health, dental benefits and pension to part-time County Board Members.

    Like me, you will never be allowed into the [McHenry County Republican] “fold” due to your iconic belief system which runs afoul to the written and demonstrated practices (mission statement)of the ongoing McHenry County Republican cultural revolution.

    Social [fill in the blank] is the brand of Republicanism in McHenry County and is why it is ranked #29th nationally in confiscation of wealth (taxation) of its residents. An obvious Board member using moniker “District 1 Voter” on this blog said in part that I was the most unlikable, arrogant person the [McHenry Republican] party tried to bring into the “fold”.

    While I would disagree with unlikeable, [I do have some friends] I cannot disagree with the rest especially the part about being brought into the “fold” willing to submit to a shephard or two in charge of the political herd.

    I prefer a county government comprised of qualified independent thinking people who are not beholden to the “fold” or the shepherd(s) who herd it. Rather I prefer to be part of a political board who are actual stewards for the taxpayer taking bold action in redefining and bringing down costs of government irrespective of political consequence or the opinions of the shepherds in charge. Thank you for making my point “District 1 Voter” and for not embarrassing yourself by revealing your name like I do on this blog everytime.

    In the meantime, I will forget about the 40 Million Dollars in the bank at Valley Hi and relish the political victory brought to we, the county taxpayers, by the Board in voting “0” levy on Valley Hi for year 2016. Not that I am ungrateful for this action by the Board but in practice, all it really means is county government is done exploiting county taxpayer for a period of at least one year. My focus is more on the prior 10 years and those residents who moved and overpaid all these years. District 1 Voter lets not throw the ticker tape parade just yet.

    “District 1 Voter”, PUBLIUS you are not!

  4. To Dist 1 Voter: I assure you that David Stieper has many friends, including many who are kicking themselves that they did not get out the vote for him in the last County Board election. This left us with some big spenders, one of whom can be “retired” on March 15, 2016, so she can spend full time at her well paid, part time job at the Algonquin Township offices.

  5. Why doesn’t this ass enforce the immigration/hiring of illegals laws at restaurants?

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