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 Policies and Procedures

Businesses must review their policies and procedures for serving customers and change those that exclude or limit participation by people with disabilities. For example, if a store has a policy to exclude all animals, the policy should be changed to permit people who use service animals, such as “seeing-eye-dogs" and "hearing-assist-dogs” to enter the store with their service animals. A store that has a special accessible entrance that remains locked during business hours will need to change the policy and keep the door unlocked when the store is open. If security is a problem, an accessible call box or buzzer (identified by a sign and mounted in an accessible location and height) should be installed to enable people with disabilities to call staff to unlock the door. A restaurant that restricts seating of people with disabilities to one area must revise the policy to permit the range of choices enjoyed by others.

Communicating

with Customers

Customers who have hearing or speech disabilities may need to communicate with sales staff without using speech. The method of communication will vary depending the abilities of the customers and on the complexity of the communications that are required. For example, some people who are deaf are able to use speech but unable to understand words spoken by others while other people who are deaf are not able to communicate with speech. People with speech or hearing disabilities may require extra time to complete their message or extra attention by staff to understand what is being said. When communication by speech is not possible, simple questions, such as the price of an item, may be handled with pen and paper by exchanging written notes or a mixture of speech and written notes. Staff should be aware of the need to use notes or both speech and communication with pen and paper. It is appropriate to ask the customer what is their preference for simple communication.

When more complex or lengthy communications are needed, it may be necessary to provide a sign language interpreter in, for example, negotiating the purchase of an automobile or home. But most business communications with customers involve only simple communications that can be done using pen and paper.

Many people with hearing or speech disabilities use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) instead of a standard telephone. This device has a keyboard for entering messages and a visual display to view the content of a conversation from another person using a TDD.

To make it easy for people who use a TDD to communicate with businesses and individuals who do not have a TDD, the ADA established a free state-by-state relay network nationwide that handles voice-to-TDD and TDD-to-voice calls. Customers who use a TDD to make telephone calls may telephone your business using a relay network. The relay consists of an operator with a TDD who translates TDD and voice messages. For example, a caller using a TDD calls the relay operator who then calls your business. The caller types the message into the TDD and the operator reads the message to you. You respond by talking to the operator who then enters your message into the TDD.

Operators are trained to provide an exact interpretation and to not become personally involved in the conversation and are required to maintain confidentiality.

Calls using a relay take a little longer. You may also use the relay network to place a voice call to a customer who uses a TDD.

Tax Credits

and Deductions

To assist businesses with complying with the ADA, Section 44 of the IRS Code allows a tax credit for small businesses and Section 190 of the IRS Code allows a tax deduction for all businesses.

The tax credit is available to businesses that have total revenues of $1,000,000 or less in the previous tax year or 30 or fewer full-time employees. This credit can cover 50% of the eligible access expenditures in a year up to $10,250 (maximum credit of $5000). The tax credit can be used to offset the cost of undertaking barrier removal and alterations to improve accessibility; providing accessible formats such as Braille, large print and audio tape; making available a sign language interpreter or a reader for customers or employees, and for purchasing certain adaptive equipment.

The tax deduction is available to all businesses with a maximum deduction of $15,000 per year. The tax deduction can be claimed for expenses incurred in barrier removal and alterations.

To learn more about the tax credit and tax deduction provisions, contact the DOJ ADA Information Line (see Information Sources for the numbers). 14