Threats of ADA lawsuits prompt free workshop

A lawyer is making the rounds in Manteca drumming up legal fees by suing businesses over alleged American with Disabilities Acts violations.

That has prompted the City of Manteca Building Safety Division and Manteca Chamber of Commerce to team up to stage a free workshop dubbed “ADA Basics for Businesses” on Wednesday, May 21, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the council chambers at the Manteca Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.

The workshop is designed for business owners, commercial property owners, real estate professionals, contractors design professionals, commercial business employees and other interested parties.

There were 947 ADA-related lawsuits filed in California last year with 513 of them in the north state and Central Valley. A San Diego law firm that specializes in disability-access issues on behalf of businesses has indicated the average settlement for ADA lawsuits is $45,000. That’s on top of the money spent to bring a business into ADA compliance.

The workshop Wednesday is being conducted by Dan Kaiser. He’s president of Access Services Plus.

Topics that will be covered include:

• What ADA entails.

• Disability access requirements for existing buildings.

• The basics of disabled access.

• How State Senate Bill 1186 dealing with ADA compliance affects businesses.

• Tax incentives for businesses making ADA improvements.

• California accessibility regulations that in some cases are more stringent and far-reaching than federal ADA requirements.

• Whether existing buildings are exempt from new ADA regulations.

• When is a business required to have an accessible ADA restroom.

• Protecting your business from ADA-related lawsuits.

• Options if your business is slapped with an ADA-related lawsuit.