Justice Department Secures Agreement with CEFCU to Ensure Access for People with Disabilities

PEORIA, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Citizens Equity First Credit Union (“CEFCU”) to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agreement requires the credit union to adopt an ADA policy, train its staff, and provide services to the complainant.

The settlement resolves an ADA complaint alleging that CEFCU refused, on multiple occasions, to serve an individual with a hearing disability over the phone because the individual was using an interpreter to communicate on the calls. According to the complaint, when the individual called CEFCU using an interpreter, CEFCU refused to speak with the individual through the interpreter and said it could not proceed with a third-party present on the call.

The complaint prompted an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like banks or credit unions provide equal access to their services and respond to telephone calls from individuals using sign language interpreters in the same manner they respond to other telephone calls.

“Many people with disabilities communicate through interpreters and the law protects their right to equal access through such services,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant for the Central District of Illinois. “We appreciate CEFCU’s cooperation and commitment to ensuring access to its services for all of its customers. We encourage all business and places of public accommodation in the Central District of Illinois to review their policies and training, so they are prepared to facilitate or provide interpretive services when needed.”

Under the agreement, the credit union will create an ADA policy and provide training to its staff about the ADA’s requirements to ensure equal access to its services for customers with disabilities. Without admitting violating the ADA, CEFCU also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like banks offer people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs, and activities. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY).  Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.