Effective Monday, April 28, 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice (Department) has increased the maximum civil fines and penalties it may impose for violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For violations occurring on or after April 28, 2014, the Department may impose a monetary penalty up to $75,000 for a first violation and $150,000 for any subsequent penalty. These amounts are in addition to any monetary relief the Department may seek on behalf of aggrieved individuals. Under Title III of the ADA, only the Department may request monetary relief. Accordingly, the increased fines and penalties will be at issue only in litigation involving, and in administrative actions before, the Department.
For any violations occurring before April 28, 2014, the current maximums remain in effect: $55,000 for a first violation and $110,000 for any subsequent violation.
These maximum fines and penalties are being adjusted pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-410, as amended by section 31001 of the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-134 (also known as the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996), which sets forth statutory formulas for determining the amount of the adjustment. The Department last adjusted the maximum fines and penalties under Title III of the ADA in 1999.
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