Kaiser recently released its new Northwest Region Parking Management and Enforcement Policy, which formally lays out who can park where, how parking rules will be enforced, and what happens when someone violates those rules.
For most employees at Sunnyside Medical Center, the policy largely reflects the parking rules we have already been living under. Staff are expected to park in designated employee parking areas, and Security Services will use both patrols and license plate recognition technology to enforce the policy. Repeat violations can eventually result in vehicle immobilization or towing.
But there is one section that is especially important for staff who have disabilities and use ADA parking accommodations.
The policy explicitly states that vehicles displaying a current state-issued disabled parking permit or disabled license plate may park in designated ADA-accessible parking spaces. It also states that employees and clinicians with valid ADA placards may park in employee or visitor parking areas as appropriate.
In other words, if you have a valid ADA placard or disabled parking permit, you are authorized to use ADA-accessible parking spaces.
That means recent management emails encouraging staff to "do the right thing" by parking off-site do not apply to employees who are legally using ADA-accessible parking. The policy does encourage employees with ADA placards to consider using accessible spaces that are not immediately adjacent to building entrances when available, in order to preserve the closest spaces for disabled patients and visitors. However, this is framed as encouragement, not a requirement. The policy does not prohibit employees with valid ADA permits from using ADA-accessible parking spaces.
The policy is also clear that enforcement action related to ADA parking is directed at vehicles using accessible spaces without valid permits. Vehicles parked in ADA spaces without a state-issued disabled permit are subject to citation and possible towing.
For SMC staff who have disabilities, the takeaway is straightforward: if you have a valid ADA placard or disabled parking permit, you can continue using ADA-accessible parking spaces in accordance with state law and Kaiser policy. General reminders about off-site employee parking do not override those rights.
As always, if you receive a citation that you believe was issued in error, the policy provides an appeal process through Kaiser's parking appeals procedure.