WASHINGTON – More than 100 members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Department of Justice demanding that guidance and clarity be provided regarding website accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The letter follows active advocacy by credit unions and other organizations that have found themselves targeted by lawsuits alleging violations of the ADA by their websites.
The joint, circulated by Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), states that "unresolved questions about the applicability of the ADA to websites as well as the Department's abandonment of the effort to write a rule defining website accessibility standards, has created a liability hazard that directly affects businesses in our states and the customers they serve."
In response to the joint letter, NAFCU CEO Dan Berger said, “NAFCU and its members appreciate this effort by Reps. Budd and Correa – and all House members who signed the letter – to stop these lawsuits that do nothing but place a huge financial burden on credit unions. We will continue to urge the Justice Department to address this issue as we stand by credit unions receiving demand letters."
The letter calls on the DOJ to "take steps now" to publicly state that legal action taken under the ADA regarding websites is "unfair and violates basic due process principles in the absence of clear statutory authority and issuance by the Department of a final rule …"
In its statement, NAFCU noted it strongly supports the protections of the ADA and efforts to ensure individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against and have equal access to financial services. “However, this is best achieved through clear guidance and standards for website compliance, not through meritless and costly lawsuits,” NAFCU said.
To date, six complaints filed against credit unions alleging violations of the ADA have been dismissed.
NAFCU is offering additional resources via an ADA FAQ documentand other information here.