“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.”
Reasonable Accommodations and ADA Concerns: The City of Lakeland encourages the public to make the City aware of any City facility, program, service, or activity that appears inaccessible to those who have disabilities. Furthermore, the City will provide reasonable accommodation(s) to qualified persons with disabilities (free of charge) who wish to participate in City administered public events or, who require special assistance to access City facilities, programs, services or activities. Because providing a reasonable accommodation may require outside assistance, organizations, or resources, the City asks that any request be made with as much notice as possible, preferably 72 hours, but no later than 48 hours in advance of the event.
Questions, concerns, comments, or requests for reasonable accommodations should be brought to the City of Lakeland’s ADA Specialist. Complaints or grievances alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act should also be brought to the City’s ADA Specialist. If possible, ADA complaints should be submitted by using our takeACTION button at the bottom of the webpage. The complaint should contain the identity of the complainant and a description of the alleged ADA violation. If the complaint cannot be submitted via the City website, the complainant should contact the City of Lakeland’s ADA Specialist directly for assistance.
An official ADA Grievance can also be filed by following the City’s ADA Grievance Procedure and completing the City of Lakeland ADA Grievance Form. If the ADA Grievance cannot be submitted in writing, the complainant should contact the City of Lakeland’s ADA Specialist directly for assistance.
The City’s ADA Specialist will respond to a complaint or grievance within fifteen (15) business days and will take reasonable steps to resolve the matter. Should the City of Lakeland be unable to satisfactorily resolve the complaint or grievance, the City’s ADA Specialist will forward the complaint or grievance, along with a record of its disposition, to the appropriate District of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
If hearing impaired, please contact the TDD numbers: Local – (863) 834-8333 or 1-800-955-8771 (TDD- Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or the Florida Relay Service Number 1-800-955-8770 (VOICE), for assistance.
City of Lakeland Employees please contact:
Geli Eldemire, Esquire, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Employment Counsel – HR Policy and Labor Relations
228 S. Massachusetts Avenue Lakeland, FL 33801-5086
Phone: (863) 834-5066
Fax: (863) 834-6004
If hearing impaired, please contact the TDD numbers: Local – (863) 834-8333 or 1-800-955-8771 (TDD-Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or the Florida Relay Service Number 1-800-955-8770 (VOICE), for assistance.
City of Lakeland ADA Transition Plan
To further the City’s commitment to Universal Access and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City has developed the City of Lakeland ADA Transition Plan. The Transition Plan is part of an ongoing process the City is involved in, to improve accessibility and comply with the ADA. While the Transition Plan will ultimately include all City programs, services, and activities, the initial Transition Plan is focused on pedestrian facilities within the Public Rights-of-Way. Public meetings were held on January 9, 2017 offering interested persons, including individuals with disabilities or organizations representing individuals with disabilities, the opportunity to participate in the development of this transition plan. The City welcomes anyone interested to view a copy of the plan. If individuals require paper copies or alternative formats of the plan, please contact the City’s ADA Specialist.