This settlement agreement is the resolution of a complaint filed with the United States Department of Justice, according to which an individual with HIV seeking hair removal treatment was turned away from American Laser Centers on two separate occasions due to his HIV status. The settlement agreement states that an individual with HIV has a disability within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, as such, American Laser Centers was prohibited from discriminating against such individuals based on this disability. Under the terms of the agreement, American Laser Centers may not exclude individuals with disabilities from their services, nor deny them treatment based on HIV status. American Laser Centers must take several corrective steps, such as drafting and posting a non-discrimination policy, providing training on the ADA to employees, and revising training manuals and written materials regarding the company’s policies and practices. Finally, American Laser Centers must pay $12,000 in compensatory damages to the individual concerned as well as a $5,000 civil penalty.
The Center for HIV Law and Policy challenges barriers to the rights and health of people affected by HIV through legal advocacy, high-impact policy initiatives, and creation of cross-issue partnerships, networks, and resources. We support movement building that amplifies the power of individuals and communities to mobilize for change that is rooted in racial, gender, and economic justice.
