The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division on Tuesday accused Hilton Worldwide of numerous violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and simultaneously filed a proposed settlement with the company that involves a $50,000 civil penalty and a wide-ranging agreement on numerous corrective actions.
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of D.C., the government charged that Hilton failed to design and operate various hotels in compliance with the ADA. That claim was based on a three-month investigation of 13 hotels, the department said.
Among other things, the complaint alleged that Hilton "failed to provide accurate, reliable information about its accessible sleeping rooms and amenities throughout its reservations system, failed to disperse accessible rooms among the various classes of sleeping rooms accommodations, failed to provide the required number of accessible sleeping rooms and roll-in showers, failed to properly equip accessible rooms for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, failed to provide accessible signage and failed to comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design."
Hilton denied all the allegations and asserted that it was not responsible for ADA compliance at hotels that it does not own or manage. For settlement purposes, however, the company agreed to survey hotels built after 1993 and assess their compliance with the aid of a government-approved inspector — and to make wide-ranging changes.
The agreement includes numerous standards for corrective actions, ranging from the minimum number of accessible rooms and suites to the provision of accessible and van-accessible parking spaces.
Hilton’s owned, managed and joint venture hotels will also designate an on-site ADA Compliance Officer with the authority to resolve complaints. Hilton also agreed to upgrade its reservation system to enhance the ability of persons with disabilities to make reservations for accessible rooms in the U.S., "including rooms for individuals with mobility disabilities and rooms equipped for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing."
Under the agreement, Hilton properties will be required to update the room inventory information that they supply to the res system to identify accessible rooms by room type and by particular amenities, including number and size of beds, roll-in shower or accessible tub and visual alarms.
The Justice Department said that this portion of the agreement marks "the first time that a hotel chain has been required to make its online reservations system accessible and to provide on its website current data about accessible features in guest rooms throughout the chain."
The department also said that the negotiated settlement marks the first time that it has required a franchisor to certify that a hotel complies with the ADA when entering into new franchise or management agreements.
In a media release, Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta said the company is "pleased to take further steps to provide our guests with disabilities the accessibility in accommodations they expect from an industry leader. The company developed a set of programs to further enhance accessibility throughout our network for the benefit of all of our guests."
Click here for a government fact sheet on the settlement with Hilton.