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ADA and COVID-19 Fraudulent Face Mask Flyers

Author: USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs
Published: 2020/07/01 - Updated: 2021/08/23
Category Topic: Warnings - Advisories - Related Publications

Contents: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: U.S. Department Of Justice warns of inaccurate flyers and postings regarding the use of face masks and The Americans With Disabilities Act.

The ADA does not provide a blanket exemption to people with disabilities from complying with legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operations.

Introduction

U.S. Department Of Justice warns of inaccurate flyers and postings regarding the use of face masks and The Americans With Disabilities Act

Main Content

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric Dreiband reiterated on the 30th June 2020 that cards and other documents bearing the Department of Justice seal and claiming that individuals are exempt from face mask requirements are fraudulent.

Inaccurate flyers or other postings have been circulating on the web and via social media channels regarding the use of face masks and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of these notices included use of the Department of Justice seal and ADA phone number.

As the Department has stated in a previous alert, the Department did not issue and does not endorse them in any way. The public should not rely on the information contained in these postings.

The ADA does not provide a blanket exemption to people with disabilities from complying with legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operations.

The public can:

for more information.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs and published on 2020/07/01, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

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APA: USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs. (2020, July 1 - Last revised: 2021, August 23). ADA and COVID-19 Fraudulent Face Mask Flyers. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved May 6, 2026 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/emergency/advisories/facemasks.php
MLA: USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs. "ADA and COVID-19 Fraudulent Face Mask Flyers." Disabled World (DW), 1 Jul. 2020, revised 23 Aug. 2021. Web. 6 May. 2026. <www.disabled-world.com/disability/emergency/advisories/facemasks.php>.
Chicago: USDOJ-Office of Public Affairs. "ADA and COVID-19 Fraudulent Face Mask Flyers." Disabled World (DW). Last modified August 23, 2021. www.disabled-world.com/disability/emergency/advisories/facemasks.php.

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