Oct. 8 (UPI) — LA Fitness discriminates against people with disabilities at its gyms and health clubs, the Justice Department said in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for Central California have accused the nation’s largest chain of owner-operated gyms and health clubs of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide equal access to its facilities to people with disabilities.
“Access to fitness activities is critical to promoting the health and well-being of all Americans, including people with disabilities,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clark said in a news release Tuesday.
Clark said the Department of Justice is “committed to eliminating discriminatory barriers to LA Fitness and ensuring equal access for people with disabilities to fully participate in their local LA Fitness gyms and health clubs.”
Federal prosecutors say LA Fitness has numerous barriers to access, including broken pool elevators and lifts, preventing people with mobility impairments from entering many of the company’s 700 health clubs and pools. said.
Some people with mobility impairments have been stuck trying to use defective pool lifts and left dangling above the water, forcing them to call for help or crawl out of the pool.
“Despite complaints from members with disabilities about these issues, LA Fitness did not resolve the issues for an extended period of time,” the Justice Department said.
The federal lawsuit asks a court to require LA Fitness to make its facilities and equipment accessible and to end alleged discrimination against people with disabilities.
The Department of Justice encourages anyone who has been unable to access LA Fitness facilities, or who knows someone who has experienced access issues, to call 888-392-5419 or email the Department of Justice. (email protected).
