On March 18th 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an opinion on ADA Compliance related to websites. While it’s not the first time that ADA Compliance for websites has been discussed, we think this is the first time an official stance has been voiced about ADA Compliance for business websites. You can find and read the article here.

Since the DOJ has officially taken the stance that business websites should meet specific accessibility standards, BERI Design Consultancy believes that the number of lawsuits related to non-compliance will continue the rise.

As you know, the Americans With Disabilities act requires businesses to ensure that everyone can access their physical locations (ex: wheelchair-accessible ramps). Now websites need to make similar adjustments to accommodate people with disabilities (ex: insert a description of an image so that a screen reader can relay it to a user that is blind).

MITIGATE LITIGATION RISK
Mitigate Litigation Risk: In 2021 alone, an estimated 300,000 website owners (roughly 1% of small businesses) received Demand Letters for failing to have accessible websites.

The average settlement was around $30,000. Making your website more accessible helps you to manage this significant litigation and reputational risk.

IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO
It’s the right thing to do: The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion social movement is growing exponentially. Inclusivity is a civil rights issue, and brands that prioritize it send a clear positive message that they see and care about all members of their communities.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Optimize your website’s reach and create a competitive advantage: As a lawyer, you are expected to have your finger on the pulse of all legal trends, especially one expanding at the rate that this one is. Law firms serve the entire community, which undoubtedly includes people with disabilities (i.e., 15% of the population).

You can create a competitive advantage by making your website accessible and reaching out to a huge, underserved, and extremely loyal group of potential clients. Accessibility also plays a role in reducing your bounce rates and making sure that everyone can access your site’s content.

You have two options: Comply or take a significant risk of lawsuits by not complying.

If you choose to comply, we have a simple, streamlined solution for you! BERI Design Consultancy has partnered with accessiBe to provide an ADA compliant solution for your website!

accessiBe is the leading AI-powered web accessibility solution that makes websites accessible to people with disabilities, and compliant with the WCAG, ADA, and other accessibility legislation.

Watch this 3-minute demo and this video of a person who is blind using accessWidget:

Yes. Up to a $5,000 tax credit is available to business owners that invest in accessibility. Click here to download the IRS tax incentive information and the tax forms for your tax professional to review.

The cost to implement this is $600 per year. This price includes installation, ongoing maintenance, an accessibility statement, monthly compliance audits, and accessiBe’s litigation support package