Is Your Office ADA Accessible?
On August 10, 1921, Franklin Delano Roosevelt fell ill with polio and was paralyzed from the chest down within three days. Eleven years later, despite his disability, FDR was elected President of the United States.
In the early-twentieth century, no law existed to guarantee President Roosevelt equal access to the Capitol Hill buildings in which he worked during his four historic terms of office. Today, equal access is guaranteed to all legislative branch employees and visitors through the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA), administered by the Office of Compliance (OOC).
The CAA stipulates that all legislative branch staff and visitors be granted the rights guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) while either working in or visiting any part of the Capitol Hill complex, a District Office or a special event sponsored by a Member’s office. Each employing office is responsible for ensuring that it provides this accessibility both within its own office space and at office-sponsored events open to the public.
Your Accessible Office: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step One -Take notice.
Walk through your office with the checklist on the other side of this Bulletin. Make sure all doorways leading to spaces that are open to the public are wide enough for a wheelchair. Make sure all signs that identify your office are understood by an individual with little or no sight. Make sure all door thresholds and handles may be crossed over and operated, respectively, by an individual in a wheelchair.
Make certain you know how to direct a visitor with a disability out of the building in the event of an evacuation. In buildings with elevators, make sure you know the location of the staging area or area of rescue assistance.
Though not mandated by the CAA, you may wish to update your office’s web site so it complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires that electronic information be provided in a format that is clearly accessed by individuals with a disability. For more information, visit www.section508.gov or contact your web site manager. House of Representatives employees can also contact House Information Resources; Senate employees may contact the Office of the Assistant Sergeant at Arms and Chief Information Officer.
