General Information
U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington,
DC 20530
(202) 307 2227
http://www.justice.gov/crt/disability-rights-section
Brief Description
The U.S. Department of Justice provides information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through a toll-free ADA Information Line. This service permits businesses, state and local governments, or others to call and ask questions about general or specific ADA requirements, including questions about the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. ADA specialists are available Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM (eastern time) except on Thursday when the hours are from 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM.
The Disability Rights Section implements the DOJ's responsibilities under the ADA in three areas:
Title I: Employment practices by units of state and local governments
Title II: Programs, services, and activities of state and local governments
Title III: Public accommodations and commercial facilities (private facilities and nonprofit service providers).
Enforcement possibilities cover a wide spectrum of potential actions including investigations, formal or informal settlement agreements, consent decrees (approved by a court), and litigation. The Department provides a mandated Technical Assistance Program for businesses, state and local governments, and individuals with responsibilities and rights under the law and certifies state and local building codes that meet or exceed the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The Section also operates a pilot project to facilitate the use of mediation to settle ADA disputes. It also coordinates the implementation by federal agencies of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federally assisted programs and in programs and activities conducted by federal executive agencies.