Kennewick Restaurant to Pay $11K Over Service Animal Refusal
According to information released Tuesday, November 22nd, from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Spokane, a Kennewick restaurant will pay $11K in compensatory damages to a patron.
The Rock Woodfired Pizza was accused of refusing a patron with a service animal
US Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref said in a release The Rock Woodfired Pizza on Hildebrand Drive has reached a settlement with the office and a customer who in last November was refused service because they had a service animal with them.
According to Waldref:
"In today’s settlement, the owners of The Rock Kennewick admitted that in November of 2021 they denied service to the disabled individual, because that individual required the use of a service animal, in direct violation of the ADA."
She added, the restaurant owners and management fully cooperated with the investigation and are putting into place requirements laid out by the settlement, which include:
- "implement and utilize a written Title III 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"
The settlement requires The Rock to pay compensatory funds of $11K to the patron, the complaint was filed with the US Attorney's Office by the family of the person with the service animal.
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