Everything on
Unruh Act  Compliance

California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, enacted in 1959, protects people with disabilities from discrimination by most business establishments. It was originally intended for brick-and-mortar establishments but now includes virtual businesses as well. 

Requirements under the Unruh Civil Rights Act

California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, enacted in 1959, protects people with disabilities from discrimination by most business establishments, including housing and public establishments.

It was originally intended for brick-and-mortar establishments but now includes virtual businesses as well. The Act requires “full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges or services in all business establishments.” This includes, but is not limited to, the following places:

• Hotels and motels
• Nonprofit organizations that have a business purpose or are a public accommodation
• Restaurants
• Theaters
• Hospitals
• Barbershops and beauty salons
• Housing accommodations
• Public agencies
• Retail establishments
• Websites

The Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, language, immigration status, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, medical condition, or genetic information. In 1992, the Unruh Act was amended to include standards created within the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)  that apply to persons with disabilities. This resulted in any violation of the ADA as a violation of the Unruh Act.

Take the first step towards accessibility - Book a demo with one of our experts >>

One important difference between the Unruh Act and ADA is that the ADA doesn’t allow for plaintiffs to claim damages, only attorney fees. The Unruh Act, on the other hand, allows for plaintiffs to claim up to 3x in damages per incident (damages can include emotional distress), with no less than $4000 in statutory damages. 

If your website is managed in a state other than California, you may still be required to follow the Unruh Act. The Unruh Act applies to all websites that sell or promote products or services within the state of California. Overall, the Unruh Act protects all Californians no matter where the business or website is registered.

On August 26, 2020, the Court of Appeals of California determined that a Georgia company’s website which created barriers to accessibility would have to comply with California accessibility laws (the Unruh Act) because purposeful availment was shown by evidence that the company’s sales to Californians to be equivalent to a physical store in California – Thurston v. Fairfield Collectibles of Ga., LLC, 53 Cal. App. 5th 1231, 268 Cal. Rptr. 3d 365 (2020)

To sue a business due to website inaccessibility under the Unruh Act, the affected website user must have concrete evidence which shows clear arbitrary or intentional discrimination in their website. 

California Unruh Act and ADA Website Compliance

As previously mentioned, the State of California operates under strict and uniform regulations. The state courts have dealt with several cases revolving around ADA and website accessibility violations. 

Historical evidence proves that the California courts have charged many defendants to pay statutory fines and court costs for not being an accessible internet entity. Once the business has been charged, courts will require the business to comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance

How can you know if a website is ADA compliant?

As stated, if a website is not ADA compliant then it automatically violates the Unruh Act. Virtual businesses that fall underneath California jurisdiction need to achieve ADA compliance and align with WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines, though. This can seem like a daunting and complex undertaking, especially without knowledge of available tools that can help or guide you.

accessScan is an ADA compliance checker that offers an immediate answer as to whether a website is compliant. It also enables your accessibility efforts by evaluating its accessibility level and errors. Understanding the barriers that need to be removed on a website to include a wide range of disabilities in varying circumstances online is a strong first step.

Want to learn more about the ADA? Register for our upcoming webinar >>

Exceptions to the Unruh Act

Many websites are required by law to follow the Unruh Act. Some businesses like public schools and senior housing facilities are exempt, but that is beyond this article’s scope. The bottom line is, if you have a website with activity in California, you should be following the Unruh Act. Complying with WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines will make your website more accessible and usable for people with disabilities and all of your visitors. The disability community is the most brand-loyal community with tremendous buying power. Making your website compliant is good business and the right thing to do.

If your website is managed in a state other than California, you may still be required to follow the Unruh Act. The Unruh Act applies to all websites that sell or promote products or services within the state of California. Overall, the Unruh Act protects all Californians no matter where the business or website is registered.

On August 26, 2020, the Court of Appeals of California determined that a Georgia company’s website which created barriers to accessibility would have to comply with California accessibility laws (the Unruh Act) because purposeful availment was shown by evidence that the company’s sales to Californians to be equivalent to a physical store in California – Thurston v. Fairfield Collectibles of Ga., LLC, 53 Cal. App. 5th 1231, 268 Cal. Rptr. 3d 365 (2020)

To sue a business due to website inaccessibility under the Unruh Act, the affected website user must have concrete evidence which shows clear arbitrary or intentional discrimination in their website. 

As previously mentioned, the State of California operates under strict and uniform regulations. The state courts have dealt with several cases revolving around ADA and website accessibility violations. 

Historical evidence proves that the California courts have charged many defendants to pay statutory fines and court costs for not being an accessible internet entity. Once the business has been charged, courts will require the business to comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance

Many websites are required by law to follow the Unruh Act. Some businesses like public schools and senior housing facilities are exempt, but that is beyond this article’s scope. The bottom line is, if you have a website with activity in California, you should be following the Unruh Act. Complying with WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines will make your website more accessible and usable for people with disabilities and all of your visitors. The disability community is the most brand-loyal community with tremendous buying power. Making your website compliant is good business and the right thing to do.

Want to learn more about the ADA? Register for our upcoming webinar >>

As stated, if a website is not ADA compliant then it automatically violates the Unruh Act. Virtual businesses that fall underneath California jurisdiction need to achieve ADA compliance and align with WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines, though. This can seem like a daunting and complex undertaking, especially without knowledge of available tools that can help or guide you.

accessScan is an ADA compliance checkerNew Window that offers an immediate answer as to whether a website is compliant. It also enables your accessibility efforts by evaluating its accessibility level and errors. Understanding the barriers that need to be removed on a website to include a wide range of disabilities in varying circumstances online is a strong first step.