New Haven Hotel Agrees to Comply with Americans with Disabilities Act

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Days Inn New Haven, a Connecticut hotel, to resolve allegations that the hotel was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).

Under federal law, private entities that own or operate “places of public accommodation,” which includes hotels, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability.  The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and to undertake periodic reviews to determine compliance by covered entities.  The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages and civil penalties.

As part of a compliance review survey, 12 randomly-selected New Haven area hotels were asked to complete and return a survey form.  Onsite inspections to confirm survey responses were then conducted and each hotel was reviewed for its compliance with federal law.  Six of the surveyed hotels were found to have ADA violations.  The government has been working with the owners and operators of each hotel found in violation to secure voluntary compliance.  All six of the hotels have now entered into settlement agreements with the government, with Days Inn New Haven being the final hotel to reach an agreement.  The hotels have agreed to voluntarily comply with the ADA.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that individuals are able to access and enjoy the state’s hotels and other public accommodations,” stated U.S. Attorney Daly.  “Our Office is committed to enforcing the ADA, which requires businesses to appropriately serve the diverse population of patrons who live, work, and visit Connecticut.  We thank the ownership and management of all the hotels that were surveyed, and appreciate their willingness to work with the government to address and correct the ADA violations.”

The hotel survey was conducted in accordance with the Justice Department’s statutory responsibility to review compliance with federal law, and not in response to any specific complaint against any of the hotels within the scope of the review.

Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that a hotel or any other place of public accommodation within the District of Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.

Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TDD).  More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nelson, Vanessa Avery, and Ndidi N. Moses, in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.