FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CR
THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1999
(202) 616-2777
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888

SWIFTY MART STORES TO BECOME ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, UNDER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT

WASHINGTON D.C.--- A Southeastern convenience store corporation will modify all of

its stores to fully accommodate customers with disabilities, under an agreement reached today

with the Justice Department.

The out-of-court settlement resolves allegations that the Suwannee Swifty Convenience Stores, located in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not providing accessible routes, accessible parking, and refueling assistance for its customers with disabilities. In August 1997, the stores were purchased by the ES & ES Acquisitions Corporation, which later formed the Swifty Mart Corporation.

"By removing barriers to accessibility at its stores, Swifty Mart Corporation is making it easier for more customers to conveniently shop in their community," said Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "Swifty Mart's cooperation throughout the investigation and willingness to improve compliance has led to a great result for people with disabilities and for the company."

Under the agreement, Swifty Mart, based in Tallahassee, Florida, will bring 16 of its stores into compliance by May 1999. By November 2000, the remaining 37 Swifty Mart stores will provide the same accessible features.

Title III of the ADA requires places of public accommodation, including convenience stores, to remove architectural barriers to access and to modify policies and procedures when

(more)

necessary to afford goods and services to people with disabilities.

The agreement requires all Swifty Mart stores to provide:

a universal accessible parking space or a van accessible parking space, reserved with

sign, at all of its stores;

curb ramps where an accessible route crosses a curb;

refueling assistance to any person with a disability who specifically requests refueling assistance, when safety concerns are not at issue or when more than one employee is on duty; and,

ADA training for employees.

Under the agreement, all stores that Swifty Mart purchases or leases in the future must

meet required ADA standards. Swifty Mart will also pay a civil penalty of $5,000.

Individuals interested in finding more about the ADA or today's settlement can call the Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383/TDD or access the ADA Home Page at www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahoml.htm

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