The American Disability Act (ADA) outlaws any form of discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all places open to the general public. The Act upholds equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, telecommunications, state and local government services.
Besides ensuring your business is on the right side of the law, here are some ways in which being ADA compliant could be beneficial to your restaurant.
- Tax benefits and financial assistance. Being ADA compliant attracts tax write-offs that could save your business a lot. In addition, there are also significant tax credits for businesses that carry out alterations to make their premises more accessible, which could be gainful to your business.
- Making all aspects of your business accessible to everyone paints a positive image of your brand. This could build customer trust and good relations with society, which is beneficial to the business in the long run. Besides, it’s the right thing to do!
- Being ADA compliant will save you from a possible lawsuit. Everyone has a right not to be discriminated against in any way, and not complying may mean you are infringing on another person’s rights. It will not only save your business possible legal fees but the time spent on litigation, too.
- Businesses should have their properties inspected by a qualified ADA inspector. They go by different names. In California, they have a special license and are called CASp inspectors. Make sure you obtain a referral for a great ADA inspector; it will save the business a lot of money and heartache in the future.