The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation aimed at ensuring that individuals with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of public life. In the context of banking, ADA compliance is crucial for ensuring that people with disabilities—whether they are visually, auditorily, or mobility-impaired—have equal access to banking services, both online and in person.
Compliance with ADA standards is not just about following the law; it’s about promoting inclusivity, improving the customer experience, and avoiding costly legal ramifications. In this article, we explore the key ADA requirements that banks must adhere to, as well as the steps necessary to ensure that both physical branches and digital platforms are accessible.
Additionally, we take a closer look at the growing importance of web accessibility tools and widgets, such as the Accessibly App, which can help banks ensure compliance.
Introduction to the ADA and Its Importance for Banks
The ADA was enacted in 1990 to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private spaces that are open to the general public. Title III of the ADA specifically addresses accessibility in public accommodations, which includes banks.
For banks, ADA compliance is not only necessary to meet legal requirements but also essential for fostering an inclusive environment for all customers. It allows individuals with disabilities to access the same banking services as everyone else, promoting both fairness and independence. Additionally, non-compliance can lead to legal risks, including lawsuits and hefty fines, which can damage a bank’s reputation and bottom line.
Let’s break down some of the key reasons why ADA compliance is critical for banks:
Customer Inclusivity
Ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to services is a core principle of the ADA. This applies to all aspects of banking, from physical access at branch locations to accessible online services.
Legal Compliance
When it comes to enforcement of the ADA, banks that fail to step up accessibility efforts can face lawsuits and penalties. Given the growing number of ADA-related lawsuits, ensuring compliance helps mitigate legal risks.
Reputation Management
In today’s socially conscious marketplace, businesses that prioritize inclusivity and accessibility tend to build stronger reputations. Customers want to do business with institutions that are socially responsible and accommodating to all individuals.
ADA Requirements for Physical Bank Branches
Ensuring ADA compliance in physical bank branches requires making certain that people with mobility issues or other disabilities can navigate the bank with ease. Banks must meet specific physical accessibility standards in their branches, including the following:
Accessible Entrances and Parking
Banks must have accessible entrances with features such as ramps, elevators, and automatic doors. Parking lots must also include accessible parking spaces near the entrance, ensuring individuals with mobility impairments can easily access the building.
Parking Spaces
At least one out of every six accessible parking spaces must be van-accessible. These spaces should be located as close as possible to the accessible entrance and must have clear signage indicating they are reserved for people with disabilities.
Entrance Access
Accessible ramps or elevators must be available at all entrances. Doorways should be wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and automated doors or easy-to-use handles should be installed to help individuals with limited hand mobility.
Kudos for any bank with accessible teller counters for wheelchair bound individuals. Some may even offer a separate accessible teller station.
Teller Counters and Seating
Teller counters in physical bank branches must be accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs. This means that counters must be at a height that accommodates someone seated. Some banks opt to provide a separate accessible teller station or counter.
Seating Areas
Banks must also ensure that seating areas, such as those in waiting rooms, are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes providing seating options that can accommodate individuals in wheelchairs and chairs with arms to assist people with mobility impairments in getting in and out of their seats.
ATM Accessibility
ADA-compliant ATMs must provide features that make them accessible to individuals with various types of disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired. Braille instructions, audio jacks, and a reachable height for wheelchair users is fair game. Don’t forget accessibility with online banking, an important part of ADA website compliance for financial institutions and online banking services.
Braille Instructions
ADA-compliant ATMs must include Braille instructions and raised numbers to help visually impaired users, which can be used to read account statements, legal documents, and financial reports. We’re also big fans of Braille signage, teller counters, lobby areas, and accessible entrances.
By incorporating Braille requirements across physical branches and ATM stations, banks will be well on their way to accommodating customers with disabilities, promoting customer inclusivity and ADA standards for all.
Audio Output
Audio output is one form of assistive technology that is essential for customers who are blind or visually impaired. ATMs should be equipped with audio jacks so that customers can use headphones to hear instructions with offline and online services.
Reachable Height
ATMs must also be positioned at a height that allows individuals in wheelchairs to easily reach the screen and keypad. This often involves ensuring that ATMs are no more than 48 inches above the ground.
ADA Requirements for Online Banking and Mobile Apps
In addition to physical ADA requirements, banks must also ensure that their websites and mobile apps are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 are the de facto standards for web accessibility and outline the requirements that banks must follow to make their digital services accessible.
Screen Reader Compatibility
One of the primary ways individuals who are blind or visually impaired interact with websites is through assistive technology like screen readers. Screen readers convert text on a page into speech, enabling users to navigate a website using auditory cues. To make a website accessible to screen readers, banks must ensure the following:
Alternative Text for Images
Every image on a website must have descriptive alternative text (alt text) that explains what the image is for people who cannot see it.
Proper Headings and Structure
Screen readers rely on the structure of a webpage to convey information. Using proper headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) helps users understand the hierarchy and flow of the content, improving online accessibility barriers.
Keyboard Navigation
Many individuals with mobility impairments cannot use a mouse and rely on keyboard-only navigation to interact with websites. ADA-compliant websites must allow users to navigate entirely through the keyboard, using keys such as “Tab” to move through links and buttons.
Focus Indicators
As users navigate a website with a keyboard, it is essential that focus indicators (such as a box or underline) appear around selected links, buttons, and forms. This ensures that users can see where they are on the page.
Color Contrast and Text Scaling
People with low vision often need to adjust the size of text or the color contrast between text and backgrounds to read web content. ADA-compliant websites must include features that allow users to easily increase text size or improve contrast.
Contrast Ratio
WCAG 2.1 recommends a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 between the text and its background to ensure readability.
Text Scaling
Users should be able to increase text size without breaking the layout or functionality of the webpage.
Ensuring ADA Compliance: Steps Banks Must Take
Ensuring ADA compliance for online banking platforms to create a more inclusive banking environment is not an easy task. It requires continuous evaluation and improvements.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help banks ensure they meet ADA standards for both physical and digital accessibility:
Conduct Accessibility Audits
Banks should conduct both physical and digital accessibility audits to identify areas of non-compliance. For physical locations, this includes reviewing entrances, seating, teller counters, and ATMs for accessibility issues. For websites and mobile apps, audits should include manual testing and the use of automated tools like WAVE or Axe to scan for web accessibility issues.
Do not forget to check for accessible documents as well, which is a very important part of accessibility requirements for banks, online portals, online interfaces, and mobile apps.
Address Compliance Issues Promptly
Once an audit is complete, banks must take immediate steps to address any identified issues. This could include:
- Upgrading ATMs with Braille instructions and audio output features
- Retrofitting physical locations to ensure accessible parking, entrances, and teller counters
- Improving website accessibility by ensuring proper alt text, keyboard navigation, and sufficient contrast ratios between text and background colors
Implement Web Accessibility Widgets
One way banks can quickly improve their website accessibility is by using web accessibility widgets like the Accessibly App. These tools provide users with customizable accessibility features, such as the ability to adjust text size, contrast, and color schemes. Widgets can also improve keyboard navigation and offer screen reader compatibility.
While these tools can significantly enhance a website’s accessibility, they are not a substitute for full WCAG 2.1 compliance. Banks must still ensure that their websites are fundamentally accessible to people with disabilities.
In short, use web accessibility widgets to increase accessibility standards and create a more accessible environment using ADA guidelines.
Train Employees
Employee training is an essential component of ADA compliance. Banks should train their employees to assist individuals with disabilities, whether it’s helping them use an ATM or navigating the bank’s website. Training should also include sensitivity training to ensure employees are aware of the diverse needs of customers with disabilities.
Monitor and Maintain Accessibility
ADA compliance is an ongoing process. Banks must continually monitor their websites and physical locations to ensure they remain accessible. This includes conducting regular audits, gathering customer feedback, and staying updated on changes to ADA and WCAG standards.
Legal Risks of Non-Compliance
Banks that fail to meet ADA standards can face costly legal consequences. Lawsuits related to ADA non-compliance have been on the rise in recent years, especially with regards to digital accessibility. Some of the legal risks include:
Monetary Fines and Penalties
Non-compliant banks can face fines, legal fees, and the cost of retrofitting physical locations or redesigning websites.
Reputational Damage
A bank that is sued for ADA non-compliance can suffer significant reputational harm, especially if the lawsuit draws media attention.
Loss of Customers
Customers with disabilities may switch to competitors if they find that a bank is not accommodating their needs.
ADA compliance is not just a legal requirement for banks—it’s an opportunity to provide better service to all customers.
By ensuring both physical and digital accessibility, banks can promote inclusivity, improve customer satisfaction, and avoid costly lawsuits. Tools like accessibility audits, employee training, and web accessibility widgets can help banks maintain compliance and create a more welcoming environment for individuals with disabilities.
In short, achieving ADA compliance for banks is very important. From physical branches to digital platforms, bank ADA compliance is about creating a more inclusive and accessible banking environment for all individuals with disabilities.
A Word on Accessibly
The Accessibly ADA website widget instantly upgrades your website or mobile application with accessibility-friendly features like larger cursors, highlighted links, keyboard navigation, high-contrast text and background options, and much more. Plus, it’s a very lightweight app that can be added to your banking website using custom code.
Accessibly also offers native integrations with some of the web’s most popular CMS platforms and e-commerce platforms like Shopify. All new users are eligible for a free 7-day trial, allowing you to test drive every feature to your heart’s content. Remember, it’s all about complying with the ADA and ensuring full and equal participation for all individuals with disabilities.
Let’s provide strong support for individuals with disabilities and ensure that our banking websites and mobile applications are fully ADA and WCAG-compliant. Together, we can make your banking website or mobile application a shining example of digital accessibility.
