Section 508 Overview

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998, is a federal law that requires agencies to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to electronic information and data comparable to those who do not have disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. The Section 508 standards are the technical requirements and criteria that are used to measure conformance within this law. More information on Section 508 and the technical standards can be found at section508.gov.

Contact Us About Information Technology Accessibility

Email us your accessibility feedback, questions, or concerns. Please include the web address and a description of the problems you have encountered. If you would like to file a Section 508 related complaint, refer to the Notice of Rights section below for instructions.

Email us at Section508@ssa.gov

Our Commitment to Section 508 Compliance

The Social Security Administration is committed to making its electronic and information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508. Our comprehensive approach to Section 508 compliance ensures people with disabilities have access which is comparable to those who do not have disabilities, and our commitment to accessibility includes content and online services provided through this website. Updated: 07/11/2023

More about our Commitment to Section 508 Compliance
  • We include Section 508 standards and requirements in our procurement processes, including:
    • how we conduct market research
    • how we create solicitations
    • how we evaluate and validate contractor Section 508 compliance claims
    • how we decide to make purchase awards to contractors
  • We include Section 508 standards and requirements in our development, implementation and maintenance processes.
    • We design using standards based on universal design principles.
    • We include people with disabilities in usability testing.
    • We develop technology using accessibility coding best practices.
    • We perform Section 508 compliance testing using automated tools, code reviews, and manual user testing with assistive technologies.
  • We develop and provide technical guidance, tools and resources to assist with Section 508 compliance throughout the agency.
  • We provide training to employees on the Section 508 standards, and how to develop and buy accessible technology.
  • We conduct communications and awareness initiatives throughout the agency.
  • Section 508 Program Manager: Pierce Crowell (Pierce.Crowell@ssa.gov)

Laws and Regulations

Links to Third Party Websites

Some pages on this website may contain links to third party sites not operated by the Social Security Administration. These sites may not adhere to the Section 508 standards. The Social Security Administration is not responsible for the content and accessibility of those sites, their partners, or advertisers.

Notice of Rights

If you believe that the information and communications technology used by the Social Security Administration does not comply with the Section 508 law, you may file a complaint or have a representative file a complaint on your behalf.