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Check out the latest web tool from the Northeast ADA Center!

Consider this scenario: A coffee shop hired a barista who knows sign language, and the shop has developed a strong following of customers who communicate with sign language. The shop owner is excited about this new customer base but concerned because they can’t guarantee that a barista who is fluent or even passable with ASL will be working at any given time.

If you were the shop owner, what would you do? Suggestions for following the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — and using common sense — in this scenario and many more are now available in the website Small Business at Work, which was created by the Northeast ADA Center.

The Small Business at Work site contains two toolkits: Welcoming Customers and Welcoming Employees. Each toolkit is packed with information, scenarios, tip lists of what to do (and not do), and resource lists for deeper exploration.

Questions answered by the Welcoming Customers Toolkit include:

• How can following ADA regulations improve my profits?
• What do employees need to know about customer service?
• What are easy-to-add accessibility features that many people aren’t aware of?
• What should I know before I remodel or build?
• How should I provide accessible parking?

Questions answered by the Welcoming Employees Toolkit include:

• How can hiring people with disabilities benefit my business?
• What does disability mean under the ADA?
• What are the ten ADA pitfalls for a small business?
• How do I prevent turnover after hiring a person with a disability?
• What does it mean to “accommodate” an employee, and how can I do this successfully?

The Small Business at Work site is based on two research studies. The first study, titled Small Organizations and Title 1 of the ADA: A Research Study in Region 2, investigated why small businesses have difficulty following the ADA or with disability inclusion for employees. The second study, Examining Business and Employer Inquiries on ADA Title III: From 2016 to 2021, sifted through questions asked by callers to the ADA National Network over a 5-year period to determine the most common questions about customers.

Content in the Welcoming Employees Toolkit has been available online since 2020, and the Welcoming Customers Toolkit is now added to the site along with other updates.

The Northeast ADA Center is offering a free webinar about the site and how small businesses can follow Title I of the ADA and improve disability inclusion. Called Small Business at Work: Ensuring inclusion for all, the webinar will be held on August 5, 2025, from 1:00–2:00 PM EDT. You can sign up for this webinar today!

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