United States of America v. Hilton Worldwide Inc. - Consent Decree

21. BRAND STANDARDS, QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTIONS.

(a) For the term of this Consent Decree, HWI shall continue to specify that all Brand Hotels comply with the ADA in all of its Brand Standards and, within one year of the Consent Decree Date, will (i) specifically reference the ADA Standards in its Brand Standards, and (ii) state in its Brand Standards that Brand Hotels constructed for first occupancy after January 26, 1993 must have the required number of accessible rooms and the required number of accessible rooms with roll-in showers (ADA Standards § 9.1.2), the required number of removable tub seats (ADA Standards §§ 9(1), 9.1.2 and 4.20.3), the required number of accessible rooms for the hearing impaired (ADA Standards §§ 9.1.2, 9.1.3), and that roll-in showers must comply with ADA Standards § 4.21 and Figure 57(a) or (b).

(b) Within one year of the Consent Decree Date, HWI shall amend all of its Brand Standards to include the following standards for each Brand Hotel:

(i) The ADA Training Program for covered employees as set forth in Paragraph 24.

(ii) The provision of information regarding ADA Contact Person in in-room guest materials as set forth in Paragraph 28.

(iii) The designation of an onsite ADA Contact Person as set forth in Paragraph 28.

(iv) The complaint process described in Paragraph 31(c).

(v) One removable tub seat for each and every accessible tub room in the hotel that does not have a built-in seat.

(vi) The required number of permanent or portable visual alarms and notification devices for incoming telephone calls and door knock or bell to ensure that the hotel can fully equip the number of hearing impaired rooms set forth in ADA Standards § 9.1.3. Hotels in existence as of the Consent Decree Date may use portable visual alarms to meet this requirement. Hotels whose construction begins after the Consent Decree Date shall have permanent visual alarms.

(c) HWI will amend its Quality Assurance Inspection process to include the additions to the Brand Standards set forth in Paragraph 21(b) above. These additional requirements will be assigned point values and will be scored in the same manner as other Brand Standards requirements.