§ 68.112   Hearing aid-compatibility.

   (a) Coin telephones. All new and existing coin-operated telephones,
   whether located on public property or in a semi-public location (e.g.,
   drugstore, gas station, private club).

   (b) Emergency use telephones. Telephones "provided for emergency use"
   include the following:

   (1) Telephones, except headsets, in places where a person with a
   hearing disability might be isolated in an emergency, including, but
   not limited to, elevators, highways, and tunnels for automobile,
   railway or subway, and workplace common areas.

   Note to paragraph (b)(1): Examples of workplace common areas include
   libraries, reception areas and similar locations where employees are
   reasonably expected to congregate.

   (2) Telephones specifically installed to alert emergency authorities,
   including, but not limited to, police or fire departments or medical
   assistance personnel.

   (3) Telephones, except headsets, in workplace non-common areas. Note:
   Examples of workplace non-common areas include private enclosed
   offices, open area individual work stations and mail rooms. Such
   non-common area telephones are required to be hearing aid compatible,
   as defined in § 68.316, by January 1, 2000, except for those telephones
   located in establishments with fewer than fifteen employees; and those
   telephones purchased between January 1, 1985 through December 31, 1989,
   which are not required to be hearing aid compatible, as defined in
   § 68.316, until January 1, 2005.

   (i) Telephones, including headsets, made available to an employee with
   a hearing disability for use by that employee in his or her employment
   duty, shall, however, be hearing aid compatible, as defined in
   § 68.316.

   (ii) As of January 1, 2000 or January 1, 2005, whichever date is
   applicable, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that all telephones
   located in the workplace are hearing aid compatible, as defined in
   § 68.316. Any person who identifies a telephone as non-hearing
   aid-compatible, as defined in § 68.316, may rebut this presumption.
   Such telephone must be replaced within fifteen working days with a
   hearing aid compatible telephone, as defined in § 68.316, including, on
   or after January 1, 2000, with volume control, as defined in § 68.317.

   (iii) Telephones, not including headsets, except those headsets
   furnished under paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, that are
   purchased, or replaced with newly acquired telephones, must be:

   (A) Hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316, after October 23,
   1996; and

   (B) Include volume control, as defined in § 68.317, on or after January
   1, 2000.

   (iv) When a telephone under paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section is
   replaced with a telephone from inventory existing before October 23,
   1996, any person may make a bona fide request that such telephone be
   hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316. If the replacement
   occurs on or after January 1, 2000, the telephone must have volume
   control, as defined in § 68.317. The telephone shall be provided within
   fifteen working days.

   (v) During the period from October 23, 1996, until the applicable date
   of January 1, 2000 or January 1, 2005, workplaces of fifteen or more
   employees also must provide and designate telephones for emergency use
   by employees with hearing disabilities through one or more of the
   following means:

   (A) By having at least one coin-operated telephone, one common area
   telephone or one other designated hearing aid compatible telephone
   within a reasonable and accessible distance for an individual searching
   for a telephone from any point in the workplace; or

   (B) By providing wireless telephones that meet the definition for
   hearing aid compatible for wireline telephones, as defined in § 68.316,
   for use by employees in their employment duty outside common areas and
   outside the offices of employees with hearing disabilities.

   (4) All credit card operated telephones, whether located on public
   property or in a semipublic location (e.g., drugstore, gas station,
   private club), unless a hearing aid compatible (as defined in § 68.316)
   coin-operated telephone providing similar services is nearby and
   readily available. However, regardless of coin-operated telephone
   availability, all credit card operated telephones must be made hearing
   aid-compatible, as defined in § 68.316, when replaced, or by May 1,
   1991, which ever comes sooner.

   (5) Telephones needed to signal life threatening or emergency
   situations in confined settings, including but not limited to, rooms in
   hospitals, residential health care facilities for senior citizens, and
   convalescent homes:

   (i) A telephone that is hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316,
   is not required until:

   (A) November 1, 1997, for establishments with fifty or more beds,
   unless replaced before that time; and

   (B) November 1, 1998, for all other establishments with fewer than
   fifty beds, unless replaced before that time.

   (ii) Telephones that are purchased, or replaced with newly acquired
   telephones, must be:

   (A) Hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.116, after October 23,
   1996; and

   (B) Include volume control, as defined in § 68.317, on or after January
   1, 2000.

   (iii) Unless a telephone in a confined setting is replaced pursuant to
   paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section, a hearing aid compatible
   telephone shall not be required if:

   (A) A telephone is both purchased and maintained by a resident for use
   in that resident's room in the establishment; or

   (B) The confined setting has an alternative means of signalling
   life-threatening or emergency situations that is available, working and
   monitored.

   (6) Telephones in hotel and motel guest rooms, and in any other
   establishment open to the general public for the purpose of overnight
   accommodation for a fee. Such telephones are required to be hearing aid
   compatible, as defined in § 68.316, except that, for establishments
   with eighty or more guest rooms, the telephones are not required to be
   hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316, until November 1, 1998;
   and for establishments with fewer than eighty guest rooms, the
   telephones are not required to be hearing aid compatible, as defined in
   § 68.316, until November 1, 1999.

   (i) Anytime after October 23, 1996, if a hotel or motel room is
   renovated or newly constructed, or the telephone in a hotel or motel
   room is replaced or substantially, internally repaired, the telephone
   in that room must be:

   (A) Hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316, after October 23,
   1996; and

   (B) Include volume control, as defined in § 68.317, on or after January
   1, 2000.

   (ii) The telephones in at least twenty percent of the guest rooms in a
   hotel or motel must be hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316,
   as of April 1, 1997.

   (iii) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (b)(6) of this
   section, hotels and motels which use telephones purchased during the
   period January 1, 1985 through December 31, 1989 may provide telephones
   that are hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316, in guest rooms
   according to the following schedule:

   (A) The telephones in at least twenty percent of the guest rooms in a
   hotel or motel must be hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316,
   as of April 1, 1997;

   (B) The telephones in at least twenty-five percent of the guest rooms
   in a hotel or motel must be hearing aid compatible, as defined in
   § 68.316, by November 1, 1999; and

   (C) The telephones in one-hundred percent of the guest rooms in a hotel
   or motel must be hearing aid compatible, as defined in § 68.316, by
   January 1, 2001 for establishments with eighty or more guest rooms, and
   by January 1, 2004 for establishments with fewer than eighty guest
   rooms.

   (c) Telephones frequently needed by the hearing impaired. Closed
   circuit telephones, i.e., telephones which cannot directly access the
   public switched network, such as telephones located in lobbies of
   hotels or apartment buildings; telephones in stores which are used by
   patrons to order merchandise; telephones in public transportation
   terminals which are used to call taxis or to reserve rental
   automobiles, need not be hearing aid compatible, as defined in
   § 68.316, until replaced.

   [ 49 FR 1362 , Jan. 11, 1984, as amended at  55 FR 28763 , July 13, 1990;
    57 FR 27183 , June 18, 1992;  61 FR 42186 , Aug. 14, 1996;  61 FR 42392 ,
   Aug. 15, 1996;  62 FR 43484 , Aug. 14, 1997;  62 FR 51064 , Sep. 30, 1997]

   return arrow Back to Top