You’re probably familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Signed into law in 1990, this landmark legislation is critically important for codifying the civil rights of people with disabilities. Essentially, this bill prohibits any kind of discrimination against people based on their level of ability. It’s why new businesses require wheelchair-accessible entryways, just to provide one example of the bill’s far-reaching effects.
It might surprise you to learn that the ADA also has implications for business websites… and that a failure to meet ADA standards can result in significant legal problems. Thankfully, there are solutions in place to help business websites achieve full legal compliance. That’s something we can offer here at Woland Web.
What’s Covered by the ADA?
First, it may be helpful to learn a bit more about what the ADA encompasses.
Broadly speaking, there are two main requirements of the ADA. The first is that employers make accommodations that allow disabled employees to do their jobs. This might involve creating wheelchair-accessible entrances, providing the right types of office furniture, and ensuring handicap-accessible bathrooms. Second, the ADA requires businesses of all kinds to make it possible for all customers to access their services, regardless of ability/disability. Again, think wheelchair entrances, accessible bathrooms, American Sign Language interpreters, etc.
So what kinds of businesses are bound by ADA compliance? Basically, any company with 15 employees or more should be mindful of ADA compliance. ADA requirements are germane to retail stores, theaters, restaurants, employment agencies, etc.
How Does the ADA Affect Websites?
It may seem pretty obvious how the ADA affects things like physical accessibility, entry, and egress. But what about your business website? What stipulations are included in the ADA?
Over the past several years, a clear legal consensus has emerged that the provisions of the ADA must apply to websites, as well, given the centrality of the digital world to the consumer experience.
In short, business websites must be accessible to everyone, which means the website design process should account for any and all potential barriers to access. Some of the most common barriers include:
- Poor color contrast, making the website’s content unreadable to those with extreme color blindness.
- Lack of “alt text” on images, making visual content unusable for website visitors who have impaired vision.
- No captions on videos, rendering that content meaningless for hearing-impaired visitors.
- Mouse-only navigation, without any way to navigate the website via keyboard.
How Common are ADA Lawsuits?
Businesses should prioritize compliance simply as a way of making their products and services available to all. Also keep in mind that a lack of ADA compliance may result in legal action.
This is much more common than you might think. ADA compliance lawsuits have skyrocketed, with more than 265,000 website-based compliance suits in 2020 alone. These suits can be extremely damaging to any business, draining time and resources while tarnishing public image. The best way to avoid this threat is to verify that your website meets all ADA compliance standards.
That’s where we come in.
Ensuring Website Accessibility
At Woland Web, we’re passionate about designing business websites that look great, function well, and convert. More than that, we want to help our clients ensure total ADA compliance, minimizing legal exposure. For that reason, we’re pleased to partner with AccesseBe, a leading name in website accessibility and compliance.
We’d love to tell you more about the advanced solutions we can provide to ensure your website reaches the widest audience, reducing your risk of legal trouble or ADA non-compliance. Reach out to the team at Woland Web any time you’d like to talk.
