AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The city's deadline for making polling places ADA compliant has been missed, and extended, several times.

Over the next three years, each location will need to make their intercity rail stations accessible, according to the release. There were also no accessible toilet rooms at the Kalamazoo station. Kalamazoo city commissioners received the proposed settlement in May 2022. The station was built in 1887, according to the Kalamazoo Public Library. Letters from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to Battle Creek and Grand Rapids fixed issues with ADA compliance at those rail stations, the release said.

But some blind and visually impaired people say there’s good reason for the apparent mistake

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says he’s ready to step in and use his emergency powers to fund the city’s paratransit system.

Chris Ruzzin is angry at the Detroit City Council and is perturbed about the city’s most vulnerable population, which is people with disabilities.

When health bills aren't legible — via large-print, Braille or other adaptive technology — blind patients can't know what they owe, and are too often sent to debt collections, an investigation finds.

The Pennsylvania Democrat deserves to face the same questions—and to be given the same opportunities—as any other candidate.

People with disabilities in Portland, Oregon, have sued the city, saying they can’t navigate its sidewalks because of sprawling homeless encampments. The federal class action lawsuit says the city has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by allowing homeless people's tents to block city sidewalks, making it difficult for people using wheelchairs, walkers or canes to use them. “The entire class of persons with disabilities are regularly deprived of the benefits of services of the city of Portland,” said John DiLorenzo, lead counsel for the plaintiffs.

Nearly 150 attended a picnic held last week at Sterling State Park in celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

More than 200 people are expected to attend the picnic today, which is sponsored by Center for Independent Living.

Many cities are not building with people with disabilities in mind even after the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Many cities are not building with people with disabilities in mind even after the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Many cities are not building with people with disabilities in mind even after the Americans with Disabilities Act.

FLINT TWP., MI—The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a lawsuit against a Flint Township medical center for violating the rights of people with disabilities. Flint Neurological Centre P.C. “No one should be denied meaningful access to health care services, including the ability to exchange critical information with their medical providers.”Attempts to reach the Flint Neurological Centre P.C. The 17-page complaint also puts forth that Flint Neurological Centre did not provide sign language interpreters or any other communication aids to some patients over several years of treatment. This obligation requires the provision of auxiliary aids and services, such as sign language interpreters, when necessary to effectively communicate with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Long Covid takes a debilitating mental and physical toll on patients — and between doctor visits, new treatments and lost income, a financial one as well.

Faced with a new wave of coronavirus infections, Austria and Italy became the first countries in western Europe to make Covid-19 vaccines compulsory. A handful of other nations -- including Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Micronesia and Ecuador -- have also issued such mandates. A number of others have stopped short of that, requiring vaccination for access to public places, in some cases with the option of taking a test instead. Such edicts are controversial. Austria’s sparked protests. A requirement by the U.S. and Canada that truckers crossing their border be fully vaccinated sparked demonstrations in Ottawa that were so rowdy the mayor declared a state of emergency. The U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 13 blocked a federal rule compelling large employers to require Covid vaccination or testing.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The federal government has reached a settlement with Meijer Inc. over accessibility to the retailer’s COVID-19 vaccination portal. People with certain disabilities were unable to access information about vaccines or book appointments online, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said in a statement. The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday, Feb. 2, announced the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) settlement agreement. The ADA requires places like grocery stores to provide those with disabilities full access to goods and services, including vaccines. The agreement said Meijer has “cooperated fully” to reach “an amicable resolution.” Meijer denied violating the ADA and disputed the allegation its vaccine-registration portal violated the ADA.

Faced with a new wave of coronavirus infections, Austria and Italy became the first countries in western Europe to make Covid-19 vaccines compulsory. A handful of other nations -- Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Micronesia -- have also issued such mandates. A number of others have stopped short of that, requiring vaccination for access to public places, in some cases with the option of taking a test instead. Such edicts are controversial. Austria’s sparked protests, and the U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 13 blocked a federal rule compelling large employers to require Covid vaccination or testing.

The money is part of a settlement agreed to in 2020 after the Justice Department found that Amtrak violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to meet accessibility standards.

Faced with a new wave of coronavirus infections, Austria and Italy became the first countries in western Europe to make Covid-19 vaccines compulsory. A handful of other nations -- Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Micronesia -- have already issued such mandates. A number of others have stopped short of that, requiring vaccination for access to public places, in some cases with the option of taking a test instead. Such edicts are controversial. Austria’s sparked protests, and the U.S. Supreme Court planned to hold a special session Jan. 7 to consider the fate of a federal rule requiring large employers to require Covid vaccination or testing.

Faced with a new wave of coronavirus infections, Austria became the first country in western Europe to announce it planned to make Covid-19 vaccines compulsory, starting in February. A handful of other nations -- Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Micronesia -- have already issued such mandates. A number of others have stopped short of that, requiring vaccination for access to public places, in some cases with the option of taking a test instead. Such edicts are controversial. Austria’s sparked protests, and the U.S. Supreme Court will hold a special session Jan. 7 to consider the fate of a federal rule requiring large employers to require Covid vaccination or testing.

BDP operates 24 facilities in Arizona. Instead, BDP requires these patients to hire third-party medical support personnel to transport them to and from BDP facilities and to provide transfer assistance at the facilities. Patients who are transported by third-party medical support personnel are brought into the facilities on gurneys or stretchers and are required to remain on them until surgery. “Discriminatory healthcare practices deny individuals with disabilities access to essential services and can delay needed treatment. The department also seeks money damages for those people who were harmed by BDP’s discriminatory policy, including those who were forced to pay for third-party transfer assistance in order to receive services.

The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) to resolve alleged violations of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the agreement, the MTD must make its website and mobile applications accessible for users with visual and manual impairments. Public transportation users rely on the MTD’s website and mobile applications to plan trips, check arrival times, and find fare information. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. Individuals in the Central District of Illinois may also report civil rights violations to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois by calling 217-492-4450.

A funeral for Dole, who died Sunday at age 98, will be held Friday morning at Washington National Cathedral.

Iowa also fails to provide Resource Center residents and their guardians with sufficient information about community options. “People with disabilities should not be unlawfully isolated and unreasonably denied access to the community-based services they need,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Today’s announcement concludes the second, and final, phase of the department’s investigation. The first phase was conducted by the Civil Rights Division and the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and focused on conditions at Glenwood. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.

Dole died Sunday at age 98.

Soap opera actor Steve Burton, who appeared on "General Hospital," said refusing the coronavirus vaccine was about "personal freedom."

Faced with a new wave of coronavirus infections, Austria became the first country in western Europe to announce it planned to make Covid-19 vaccines compulsory, starting in February. A handful of other nations -- Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Micronesia -- have already issued such mandates. A number of others have stopped short of that, requiring vaccination for access to public places, in some cases with the option of taking a test instead. Such edicts are controversial. Austria’s sparked protests, and a rule in the U.S. requiring large employers to require Covid vaccination or testing has been put on ice pending court challenges.

The provision was spearheaded by Senator Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee who cannot use subway stations that don't have a working elevator.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. (Uber) for charging “wait time” fees to passengers who, because of disability, need more time to enter a car. Uber’s policies and practices of charging wait time fees based on disability have harmed many passengers and potential passengers with disabilities throughout the country. In April 2016, Uber began charging passengers wait time fees in a number of cities, eventually expanding the policy nationwide. Wait time fees start two minutes after the Uber car arrives at the pickup location and are charged until the car begins its trip. The lawsuit seeks relief from the court, including ordering Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities.

The department’s suit alleges that PATH subjected its workers to unnecessary medical exams and sought unnecessary information from those employees about their disabilities and other health conditions. “No employee should be subject to unnecessary medical exams and health inquiries by their employer,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This office remains committed to protecting the civil rights of employees by ensuring that employers comply with the requirements of federal law. Under the terms of the agreement, which must be approved by the court, PATH has agreed to stop unnecessary medical exams, as well as unnecessary questions about employees’ disabilities, health conditions and family medical history. For more information on the ADA, please call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has issued an emergency rule requiring large private employers to mandate Covid-19 vaccination or testing in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has issued an emergency rule requiring large private employers to mandate Covid-19 vaccination or testing in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has issued an emergency rule requiring large private employers to mandate Covid-19 vaccination or testing in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Another new mandate covered millions of health-care workers, and an earlier one applied to all federal workers and contractors. Under U.S. law, government authorities have the power to require vaccination, as do employers, many of which had already mandated Covid shots.

As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes. “For decades the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act have required that new housing complexes be built with accessible features for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.

As part of the settlement, the defendants also agreed to make extensive retrofits to remove accessibility barriers at the complexes. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. This law requires that multifamily housing buildings with four or more units constructed after March 13, 1991, have basic accessible features. Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.

The defendants also will undergo training, ensure that any future construction complies with federal accessibility laws and make periodic reports to the Justice Department. The Justice Department stands ready to vigorously enforce federal laws to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. Individuals may report disability discrimination or other forms of housing discrimination by calling the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, or submitting a report online at http://civilrights.justice.gov/. Individuals also may report discrimination by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777, or by filing a complaint online.

More employers are requiring workers to get shots before returning to the office.

More employers are requiring workers to get shots before returning to the office.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Michigan Department of Transportation is temporarily closing five rest areas in September. The facilities, located along well-traveled highways in Northern Michigan and near the Michigan-Indiana border, are being closed so crews can complete exterior work to bring the facilities up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The work will affect the following rest areas:ADA improvements will also be made at the New Buffalo Welcome Center on eastbound I-94 in Berrien County from Tuesday, Sept. 28, through Monday, Nov. 1, but the facility will remain open.

With Covid vaccination rates leveling off in the U.S. and cases of coronavirus infection again rising with the spread of the more contagious delta variant, more employers are requiring workers to get shots before returning to the office. The decision by regulators to go beyond an emergency authorization and grant full approval to the vaccine by Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech SE solidifies that trend. Under U.S. law, employers have the power to issue vaccine mandates, as do government autho

Under the agreement, the County and MTA must make their transit services, including Hele-On, the buses used by the majority of riders, accessible to passengers with disabilities. The agreement requires the County and MTA to ensure that passengers with disabilities have lifts to board buses; paratransit users are provided timely pick-ups and drop-offs; and bus stops are accessible. In addition, the County and MTA must ensure that transit system drivers undergo ADA training and that disability-related complaints are addressed fairly. “Our office strongly supports efforts to improve access and inclusion under the ADA.”This matter was handled by the Disability Rights Section of the department’s Civil Rights Division. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov.

The Justice Department and U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island today announced a settlement agreement with Brown University to ensure that students with mental health disabilities have equal access to educational programs. The settlement agreement protects the rights of students with mental health disabilities to have equal access to Brown’s educational programs. The agreement also ensures that Brown will make reasonable modifications to its policies for students with mental health disabilities seeking to return from medical leave. The ADA also requires colleges and universities to make reasonable modifications to their policies for students with disabilities when needed. “Instead of imposing extra barriers on students seeking to return to campus from medical leave, universities must reasonably accommodate students who are treating their mental health disabilities.

For months, many employers have held off on requiring the vaccine. Now, as public health and economic pressures mount, some are starting to.

With Covid vaccination rates leveling off in the U.S. and cases of coronavirus infection again rising with the spread of the more contagious delta variant, more employers are requiring workers to get shots before returning to the office. Under U.S. law, employers have the power to issue such orders, as do government authorities. How effective mandates are at expanding the uptake of a vaccine is a matter of debate.

Plagued by a chronic illness, Rachel Hinken had to decide: What does she value more, her income or her wellbeing?

But not everyone with long COVID would qualify - individual assessments would be carried out to see if symptoms substantially limit quality of life.

Senators and the White House are locked in intense negotiations to salvage a bipartisan infrastructure deal.

It's been 31 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, and Detroit is commemorating the date with new plans to help those with disabilities.

The Aug. 3rd elections are approaching and Oakland County is testing its election equipment before voters hit the polls.

Michiganders who attended the Faster Horses Festival are being asked to get tested for COVID-19.

DPSCD and the Detroit Federation of Teachers have reached a reopening plan agreement to bring teachers back to the classroom.

Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke issued the following statements to mark the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s preeminent civil rights law that provides equal opportunity for people with disabilities. This is the Civil Rights Division’s charge and this is our promise to every person with a disability across this country. The department’s agreement requires the County and the Board to provide accessible polling places. Through the department’s ADA Voting Initiative, we have surveyed over 2,400 polling places and increased polling place accessibility in over 50 jurisdictions. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.

Legislation that would lift barriers on organ donation has passed the Michigan House.

ROSEVILLE, Mich. – A 2-year project on Gratiot Avenue in Macomb County will begin Monday. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, more than three miles of Gratiot Avenue in Roseville will be rebuilt. Construction will focus on the stretch between 11 Mile and Common roads in 2021 and is expected to work between Common and 14 Mile roads in 2022. On the northbound side, the left lane will be closed from Frazho to Common roads and on the southbound side, the left lane will be closed from Common to 11 Mile roads. AdMore information on the project can be found on Moving Macomb’s official website here.