Newsroom

October 13, 2017

NAFCU increases pressure on Congress to curb frivolous ADA lawsuits

As frivolous lawsuits filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) continue to mount, NAFCU is putting the pressure on Congress to prevent abusive, targeted litigation.

NAFCU Vice President of Legislative Affairs Brad Thaler wrote to House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and Ranking Member John Conyers, D-Mich., urging their support of legislation that would address issues with the ADA's website access requirements.

"NAFCU and its member credit unions believe in the importance of the ADA and of the ability for all Americans to have access to the financial services that they need," Thaler wrote. "Credit unions want to make sure their members have the accessibility to the services they need and are in compliance with the ADA; however, abusive, frivolous lawsuits must be stopped."

Thaler had sent a letter to Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, last week noting NAFCU's support of his legislation – the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620) – and the association's dedication to expanding some of the bill's protections, such as extending its coverage to website lawsuits.

Credit unions have recently been targeted by plaintiffs' attorneys on ADA website accessibility. NAFCU Vice President of Regulatory Compliance Brandy Bruyere sent an email last week to NAFCU members offering resources on how to address ADA compliance challenges and increased litigation related to ADA website accessibility.