ARLINGTON, Va.—The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia accepted an additional amicus brief submitted by NAFCU in support of a credit union's motion to dismiss a complaint filed against it under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
As the number of frivolous lawsuits filed under the ADA has increased in recent months, NAFCU noted that it has been proactive in supporting members targeted by litigation. The filing comes at the same time the Department of Justice has withdrawn four advance notices of proposed rulemaking related to the ADA, including two that death with the accessibility of web information, as CUToday.info reported here.
The Eastern District Court had previously accepted another amicus filed by NAFCU.
“NAFCU appreciates the court's willingness to listen to the association's concerns and will continue to monitor developments in these cases,” the trade association said.
Credit unions and other institutions have faced a rash of lawsuits in the past year related to website accessibility because of ambiguities in the ADA's language. NAFCU and its members strongly support the protections of the ADA and efforts to ensure individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against and have equal access to financial services, the trade association said.
The Department of Justice recently announced it is reconsidering the need for ADA rules related to website accessibility; NAFCU has urged the department to move forward with proposed rulemaking to clarify the act's standards and protect credit unions from undue burdens.
NAFCU is also engaged with Congress and states' attorneys general to address frivolous lawsuits.