DOJ accuses popular gym chain of discriminating against disabled people

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is accusing LA Fitness of discriminating against disabled people in a lawsuit that was announced on Tuesday.

In a press release published by the DOJ, the agency explained that it was suing Fitness International LLC – the company that owns LA Fitness – for “discriminating against people with disabilities at its gym and fitness clubs.”  

The DOJ is asking the Central District of California to “stop LA Fitness from discriminating against people with disabilities, including by requiring LA Fitness to make its facilities and equipment accessible.”

According to the DOJ, LA Fitness discriminated against disabled people because some of the chain’s amenities were not sufficiently accessible. The press release referenced broken pool lifts, broken elevators and broken equipment.

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The chain is also accused of charging disabled patrons an extra fee for certain services. The lawsuit seeks money damages for the people who were “harmed by LA Fitness’s discrimination.”

“This includes people who were directly harmed by LA Fitness’s barriers to access and broken equipment, as well people who need help to use LA Fitness’s clubs and were charged extra fees to have a friend, nurse or personal assistant help them use LA fitness facilities,” the press release noted.

LA Fitness, one of the largest chain gyms in the U.S., operates nearly 700 clubs across the country. The DOJ’s lawsuit hinges on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed in 1990 to “establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability.”

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Photo taken on June 6, 2020 shows a reopened LA Fitness club in northern outskirt of Dallas, Texas, the United States. (Dan Tian/Xinhua via Getty Images)

“The ADA requires LA Fitness to give people with disabilities equal access to LA Fitness’s services and facilities, remove architectural barriers to make its facilities accessible to people with disabilities and maintain accessible features,” the DOJ argued.

“The ADA also prohibits LA Fitness from charging extra fees to people with disabilities.”

In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said that access to physical health activities is “crucial for promoting the health and well-being of all individuals, including those with disabilities.”

“For over 30 years, the ADA has prohibited gyms and fitness clubs like LA Fitness from denying patrons with disabilities the opportunity to use and enjoy facilities enjoyed by patrons without disabilities,” Clarke said. “Through this lawsuit, the department seeks to remedy LA Fitness’s discriminatory actions and ensure that patrons with disabilities have equal access to fully participate at their local LA Fitness gym and fitness clubs.”

The exterior of an LA Fitness location in 2019. (John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital reached out to LA Fitness for comment.