Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Disability Rights Advocates is pleased to make available on our website and in our offices the work of artists from the National Institute of Art & Disabilities (NIAD). NIAD provides an art program that promotes creativity, independence, dignity, and community integration for people with developmental and other disabilities.
DRA is a non-profit law firm dedicated to securing the civil rights of people with disabilities. DRA advocates for disability rights through high-impact litigation, as well as research and education. We do not charge our clients for our services. Learn more about DRA.
After 10 years of hard fought litigation, including an appeal to the Ninth Circuit, Disability Rights Advocates has reached a settlement with UPS on the remaining issue in this class action case. The settlement resolves the question of whether UPS may use the Department of Transportation hearing standard as a threshold qualification for driving vehicles at the company weighing 10,000 pounds or less. On June 29, 2009, the trial court granted preliminary approval of the settlement. This means that UPS will implement the Hearing Protocol within 30 days, on or before July 29, 2009 Read More.
Read the Preliminary Approval Order.Disability Rights Advocates is working with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to develop a self-evaluation and transition plan. It is critical that GGNRA receive input from the disabled community as they begin this process. GGNRA is holding a series of focus groups and open houses to solicit feedback on a set of draft proposals for access improvements at certain parks. The times, dates, and locations of these meetings are listed here. Although the deadline for RSVP to the focus groups is May 14, we understand that late RSVPs will be accepted. However, if you need accommodations, the sooner you contact the organizers, the better. Please let us know by emailing kanderson@dralegal.org if you plan to be attending or if you wish to comment on the proposals but will be unable to attend the meetings.
We also want to draw your attention to draft proposals now available on the GGNRA website, and to a public comment period on these proposals that extends through May 29th. Please take a moment to review the proposals here and provide GGNRA with input
For more information on DRA’s involvement with GGNRA park access issues, click here.
OAKLAND, Calif. — A class action suit filed today in state court in Alameda County charges that KeyPoint Credit Union has committed “systemic civil rights violations” by repeatedly refusing to accept telephone relay service calls from deaf customers and potential customers.
The class action suit, seeking relief on behalf of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who have been denied full and equal access to KeyPoint’s services, products, and information, was filed by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a Berkeley-based non-profit law center. The suit seeks to end discrimination against individuals who are deaf by requiring KeyPoint to accept telephone relay calls, which are commonly used by deaf people to communicate with businesses and others, just as it would accept ordinary telephone voice calls.
Read the Press Release.As part of our Settlement Agreement in Kidd, et al. v. Department of Education, et al., the State is funding a study that will examine the impact on students with disabilities of the use of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as a diploma requirement.
The study will focus, in particular, on students who have not passed the CAHSEE, despite their use of the modifications and/or accommodations specified in their individualized education programs (IEP) or Section 504 plans. The study aims to determine whether there are students who have learned the material being tested, but are unable to demonstrate that knowledge through the CAHSEE, despite the students’ use of modifications and/or accommodations. If there are such students, the study aims to determine whether alternative means would allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of the CAHSEE standards. Once the study is complete, the resulting report and any recommendations for necessary policy changes will be distributed to the legislature.
To produce the required study on the CAHSEE, the State has contracted the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a behavioral and social science research organization based in Washington, D.C. with offices across the country, including Sacramento.
We are currently investigating complaints by deaf and hard of hearing employees who work for the State of California. If you believe you are experiencing discrimination or are having other problems at work, please click below to complete an intake questionnaire. Any information you share with us will be kept confidential. Thank you for your interest and help with this investigation.
Submit an Intake Form.February 19, 2009: The National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of blind people; its California affiliate; and a blind law school applicant, Deepa Goraya, are filing a lawsuit against the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). The complaint asserts that the LSAC, the body that administers the Law School Admissions Test (which most aspiring law students must take) and provides other services to law schools and law school applicants, violates the California Disabled Persons Act and the Unruh Act because its Web site (www.lsac.org) and LSAT preparation materials are inaccessible to blind law school applicants. The plaintiffs have attempted to meet with the LSAC to resolve the matter, but the LSAC canceled a planned meeting.
Read the Press Release.February 11, 2009: A class action suit filed in state court in Alameda County charges that health care organization Kaiser Permanente directs a “blatantly discriminatory” policy against children with autism. The class action suit, seeking relief on behalf of children with autism and their families who are members of Kaiser, was filed by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a Berkeley-based non-profit law center, and Chavez & Gertler, a national class action litigation law firm. Other major counsel are Gerard V. Mantese and John J. Conway. The suit seeks to end discrimination against disabled children and does not request money damages.
Read the Press Release.We are currently investigating health insurance denials of coverage for autism treatments. If you have recently experienced a coverage denial of a request for autism treatment, we want to hear your story. Please click here to complete a brief survey. Any information you share will be kept confidential. Thank you for your interest and help in this investigation.
Submit an Intake Form.January 26, 2009: Under a settlement announced, Hotels.com and Expedia.com, two of the world’s leading online travel companies, have agreed to add features to their online travel reservation systems so that millions of travelers with disabilities can use their online services to search for and reserve hotel rooms that have the accommodations they need.
Read the Press Release.January 14, 2009: A lawsuit was filed in Federal Court against the City of Los Angeles and County of Los Angeles to address their failure to adequately plan to meet the needs of people with disabilities in an emergency. The suit highlights a national problem, and one made especially evident during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, during which people with disabilities had their lives put at risk because of a lack of planning for this vulnerable population. The case is one of the first of its kind in the country and the most comprehensive filed to date.
Read the Press Release.December 17, 2008: In January 2008, Plaintiffs Lori Gray, Peter Mendoza and Ann Sieck filed suit against Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (Gray et al. v. GGNRA, et al.) under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794(a). In their lawsuit, Plaintiffs alleged that they were denied their right to full and equal access to, and use and enjoyment of, the programs, services, activities and facilities of GGNRA because of physical and other access barriers.
Read the Press Release.December 15, 2008: We want to remind people about a claims process in a case Disability Rights Advocates recently settled known as NFB v. Target Corporation. This case was brought because Target’s website was not accessible to persons with vision disabilities. If you have a vision disability and use screen access software, you have the chance to share in this settlement by filing a claim for monetary damages. All you have to do is have tried to access www.target.com from California by December 9th and experienced one or more barriers on the site. You can file a secure claim at www.nfbtargetlawsuit.com (click on the top most link to file a secure claim). By filing a claim you may be eligible for up to $7,000. This case is very important for the blind community. By filing a claim you are letting your voice be heard. Please help us further web access equality and file a claim in this settlement. Claims must be submitted by January 8, 2009 to be timely.
Read more.October 30, 2008: Advocates for disabled employees of the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) have secured a groundbreaking victory in a class action proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The action alleges that SSA discriminates against employees with targeted disabilities by creating a glass ceiling and limiting promotional and other career advancement opportunities. Yesterday, the Administrative Law Judge hearing the case granted the employees’ motion for class certification. The ruling ensures that the employees’ claims for injunctive relief and damages can proceed as class claims. Attorneys for the class estimate that the lawsuit will cover approximately 2,000 current and past employees.
Read the Press Release..jpg "Photo of Sid Wolinsky and Vic Lee")
Couldn't make the dinner?
Your donations are warmly accepted!
Click Here to go to the DRA 15th Anniversary Gala Photo Gallery
October 16, 2008: The Hayward Unified School District has entered into a comprehensive agreement with nonprofit law firms Disability Rights Advocates and Protection & Advocacy, Inc.(since renamed Disability Rights California) and several parents to expand its voter approved District-wide modernization and new building efforts into making all its schools accessible to students with disabilities. The agreement was negotiated collaboratively without any lawsuit being filed.
Read the Press Release.August 27, 2008: SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A landmark suit filed in federal court in San Francisco charges that San Francisco’s homeless shelter program “blatantly discriminates” against disabled homeless people. Although the majority of all homeless people are men, women, and children with disabilities, the suit is the first in the country to broadly challenge the homeless shelter program of a city as a violation of civil rights statutes that protect people with disabilities.
Read the Press Release in Word.
Read the Complaint in PDF.
July 30, 2008: SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – In a major victory for disabled consumers which is expected to have broad implications for retailers across the State, the California Court of Appeal yesterday ruled that blocking aisle with removable fixtures by Mervyn’s department stores without providing effective means for making merchandise available discriminated against people with disabilities.
Read the Press Release.July 11, 2008: The Sutter Health network of hospitals, medical foundations and other health care service providers has taken a big legal step toward further improving health care access for patients with mobility, visual, hearing and speech disabilities who seek care at Sutter facilities.
Judge Bonnie Sabraw of the Alameda County Superior Court granted final approval to a class action settlement agreement between Disability Rights Advocates and co-counsel Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian and Sutter Health. The landmark settlement is geared towards improving health care access for patients with disabilities at Sutter facilities. This comprehensive agreement resolves a class-action lawsuit filed to address these issues.
Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), private co-counsel, and Sutter Health announced Friday, April 18, 2008, that the Sutter network of hospitals, medical foundations and other health care service providers has taken a big legal step toward further improving health care access for patients with mobility, visual, hearing and speech disabilities who seek care from Sutter facilities.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Sutter is going to remove architectural barriers, acquire and install accessible medical equipment, and review and update policies and training relevant to people with disabilities at all of its California facilities.
Read more about the CaseJune 25, 2008: Senior Federal District Court Judge Samuel Conti has issued his decision in the landmark case brought on behalf of veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury in July of 2007. The trial was conducted from April 21-30, 2008, and included a week of testimony in early March. The trial focused on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and adjudication systems for disabled veterans. The trial included testimony from the heads of national veterans’ organizations, top VA officials and some of the leading experts in the country on the widespread failings of the VA system.
Read the Press Release.May 30, 2008: Judge Freedman of Alameda County Superior Court granted final approval to a class action settlement agreement between Plaintiffs Kidd, et al. and the State. The central issue in the case was the use of the CA High School Exit Exam (“CAHSEE”) as a diploma requirement for students with disabilities. Pursuant to the Agreement, the State will put out an RFP to fund a study of the CAHSEE by a neutral expert which will examine its impact on students with disabilities. A report will be issued once the study is completed and the neutral experts’ recommendations for necessary policy changes will be distributed to the legislature.
Learn more about the case
January 28, 2008: Golfers with disabilities have scored a major victory in a lawsuit against Marriott International, Inc. In a disability civil rights case with far reaching implications, a federal court in San Francisco has ruled that Marriott is obligated under federal law to make accessible golf carts available for the use of disabled golfers. Even though hundreds of golf courses around the country have informally recognized that disabled golfers are entitled to this accommodation in order to access their courses, Marriott had said it had no obligation to the thousands of disabled and senior golfers who cannot play without an accessible golf cart.
Read the Press Release.
Read the Fact Sheet
Read the Summary Judgment
Read more about the Case
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Disability Rights Advocates is pleased to make available on our website and in our offices the work of artists from the National Institute of Art & Disabilities (NIAD). NIAD provides an art program that promotes creativity, independence, dignity, and community integration for people with developmental and other disabilities.
Go to the Gallery Section.
