Tri-Cities pizza restaurant to pay $11,000 for refusing service to disabled customer
A Tri-Cities pizza restaurant is paying thousands of dollars after refusing service to a disabled person with a service animal.
The United States Attorney’s Office said the owner of The Rock Wood Fired Pizza in Kennewick admitted to denying service to the customer in November 2021, according to a news release.
After the incident the customer’s family filed an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint, which was forwarded to the U.S. Attorney in Eastern Washington.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref said in the news release that the business cooperated with the investigation and agreed to pay $11,000 in compensation to the disabled customer and take remedial action to ensure the restaurant is compliant with the ADA.
At the time of the incident, the business did not have any written ADA policy or formal ADA training for employees at any of their restaurants, as required by law.
The restaurant has also agreed to:
▪ Implement and use a written ADA and service animal policy
▪ Require annual employee training addressing the requirements of the ADA
▪ Institute a grievance procedure for customers, potential customers or employees regarding any alleged ADA violations
▪ Conspicuously post notices to customers and employees, both online and at their restaurants, that service animals are welcome
▪ Submit reports to the U.S. Attorney’s Office every six months for the next three years certifying full compliance with all remedial terms of the agreement and self-reporting any allegations of violations of the ADA so they can be fully investigated.
These measures apply to the Kennewick restaurant and three other locations franchised by the company.
It’s unclear which of the three other Rock locations in Washington belong to the Kennewick franchise owner.
If they fail to meet the requirements of the agreement, they could face penalties of $75,000 per violation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office could also seek further penalties in court, according to the news release.
“Persons with disabilities have every right under the law to enjoy the same freedoms and accommodations as everyone,” Waldref said in the release. “The ADA ensures those rights for persons with disabilities in our communities, and, as today’s settlement shows, my office is committed to vigorous enforcement of the ADA. Today’s settlement sends an important message that compliance with the ADA is essential to making Eastern Washington safe and strong for all.”
Waldref also thanked the owner of the restaurant for cooperating and agreeing to the damages and remedial measures.
Waldref said that they could not investigate these types of violations without family members or customers coming forward.
She encouraged anyone with ADA complaints to contact her office at USAWAE.CivilRights@usdoj.gov or call their Civil Rights Complaint Line at 509-835-6306.
This story was originally published November 22, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
