(February 17, 2009) A free web seminar explaining how businesses can reduce their risk of disability access lawsuits is being offered by CalBizCentral, the source for California business and human resource compliance products, presented by the California Chamber of Commerce.

The live web seminar focuses on SB 1608: What California’s New Accessibility Law Reforms Mean to California Employers. The half-hour web seminar, set for February 19 beginning at 10 a.m., will outline how the new law can help businesses and illustrate the new protections the law creates for employers.

New Tools for Businesses

The CalChamber was involved in developing SB 1608 (Corbett; D-San Leandro, Chapter 549, Statutes of 2008), a “job creator” bill that increases access for individuals with disabilities while reducing unwarranted litigation.

SB 1608 established reforms in California law that provide new tools that businesses with locations open to the public in California can use to ensure they have complied with federal and state disability access laws and to reduce the risk of getting sued.

One new tool is a process by which business owners can use state-certified disability access specialists (CASps) to ensure their building is in compliance.

California recently posted a list of certified, state-licensed inspectors who can confirm that a business location meets applicable accessibility standards or help a business quickly make changes to do so. Passing one of these inspections or even making good faith progress toward doing so may help a business avert an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)/accessibility lawsuit.

Webinar Topics

The webinar will be presented by David W. Peters, chief executive officer and general counsel, Lawyers Against Lawsuit Abuse, APC, a San Diego-based firm helping businesses prevent and resolve accessibility claims. Peters has served as a consultant in more than 500 ADA/accessibility lawsuits throughout the United States.

Topics to be covered include:

• California’s new state-licensed CASp inspectors and why a business should consider hiring one through a lawyer right away.
• How CASp inspectors can confirm that a business meets appropriate accessibility standards, or help the business do so.
• How a CASp inspection can provide important protections if a business does get served with a lawsuit.
• The new law’s major reforms to ADA/accessibility litigation in California.
• New strategies for dealing with ADA/accessibility claims.
• Limitations to the protections of CASp inspections and SB 1608.
• New parking area changes that were required July 1, 2008—why have so many businesses failed to comply and will they be targets for claims?
• Common pitfalls and emerging claims.

Registration

Registration and more information on the webinar is available at www.calbizcentral.com/training or by calling (800) 331-8877.