Non-Discrimination Policy

Nondiscrimination Policy

Last updated: September 7, 2023

As a general matter, SABO will familiarize ourselves with all applicable federal, state, and local laws that apply to housing, places of public accommodation, and provision of services to individuals, and expect that our Members will do so as well. Some jurisdictions may have additional legal requirements that expand or limit the civil right protections of the individual Members. Hosts are required to comply with such legal requirements. Hosts should contact SABO if they have any questions about their obligations to comply with this SABO Non-Discrimination Policy. Hosts must follow these rules when considering potential Guests and Invitees:

  1. Race, Color, Ethnicity, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Marital Status
    1. Hosts may not:
  • Decline a Reservation based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under federal law;
  • Impose different terms, conditions, or requirements for any Guest based on their race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under federal law; or
  • Post any Listing or make any statement that discourages or indicates a preference for or against any Guest based on their race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under federal law.
  1. Gender Identity
    1. SABO considers the gender of our Members be what they identify and/or designate on their account, and we expect our Members to do the same. This includes respecting the preferred pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them, etc.) of any Members.
    2. Hosts may not:
  • Decline a Reservation from a Guest based on gender identity;
  • Impose any different terms or conditions based on gender; or
  • Post any Listing or make any statement that discourages or indicates a preference for or against any Guest based on their gender or gender identity.
  1. Age and Familial Status
    1. Hosts may not Impose different terms, conditions, or requirements or decline a Reservation based on the Guest’s or their Invitee’s age or familial status, where prohibited by law.
    2. Hosts may:
      • Provide information in their Listing about the features of their Property and Lodgings, as well as the requirements for their Host Services that could make the Listing unsafe or unsuitable for Guests of a certain age or families with children or infants; and
      • Establish any requirements for Guests and their Invitees that are necessary to comply with applicable laws (i.e. age requirements for hunting).
  2. Disability
    1. Hosts may not:
  • Decline a potential Guest based on any actual or perceived disability, except where the Host Services involve inherently dangerous activities such that inclusion of the potential Guest would pose a Direct Threat. A Direct Threat means that the potential Guest’s disability would pose a significant risk to the health or safety of the Host, Invitees, or the potential Guest themselves that cannot be eliminated by a reasonable modification of policies, practices, or procedures or by the provision of auxiliary aids or safety equipment. Hosts should conduct and document an individualized inquiry into whether the disability of the potential Guest would pose a Direct Threat based on objective, factual evidence.
  • Impose different terms, conditions, or requirements based on the fact that the Guest has a disability, except where reasonably necessary to accommodate that disability and prevent a Direct Threat.
  • Inquire about the existence or severity of a Guest’s disability, or the means used to accommodate that disability, except where necessary to prevent a Direct Threat. However, if a potential Guest raises the subject of their disability, a Host may discuss whether the Listing will meet their needs with the potential Guest.
  • Prohibit or limit the use of mobility devices.
  • Charge more in fees for Guests with disabilities, such as pet fees when the Guest has a Service Animal. A Service Animal refers to a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with disabilities.
  • Post any Listing or make any statement that discourages or indicates a preference for or against any Guest based on their disability.
  • Refuse to communicate with Guests through accessible means that are available, including relay operators (for people with hearing impairments) and e-mail (for people with vision impairments using screen readers).
  • Refuse to provide reasonable accommodations, including flexibility when Guests with disabilities request reasonable changes to your standard rules and requirements. If a Guest requests such an accommodation, the Host and the Guest should engage in a discussion to determine how best to ensure the Host Services will meet the Guest’s needs.
  1. Hosts may include additional information about the accessibility features of the Property and the Lodgings (or lack thereof), as well as any physical requirements associated with the Host Services in their Listing, which will allow Guests with disabilities to assess for themselves whether the Property, Lodgings, and Host Services are appropriate to their individual needs.
  1. Personal Preferences
    1. Hosts may:
  • Except as described above, Hosts may decline a Reservation based on personal preferences that are not prohibited by law. For example, except where prohibited by law, Hosts may decline a Reservation to Guests with pets, or to Guests who smoke. Hosts may place limits on the number of Guests and Invitees in a Reservation. Such preferences should be stated clearly in the Host’s Listing.
  • Require Guests to respect additional rules and restrictions that are unrelated to any characteristic that is protected by law. These restrictions should be stated clearly in your Listing. For example, a Host may turn down a Guest who wants to smoke in the Lodgings, or place limits on the number of Guests and Invitees in a Reservation.
    1. Enforcement
      1. While a Host may have articulate, lawful and legitimate reasons for turning down a potential Guest, it may cause that Member to feel unwelcome or excluded. Hosts should make every effort to be welcoming to Guests of all backgrounds. SABO may, in its sole and absolute discretion, suspend Hosts who have demonstrated a pattern of rejecting Guests from a protected class (even while articulating legitimate reasons) from the SABO Platform.
      2. If a Listing contains content in violation of this Non-Discrimination Policy, the Host will be asked to remove the language in question and affirm their understanding and intent to comply with this Non-Discrimination Policy. SABO may also, in its sole and absolute discretion, take additional steps to enforce this Non-Discrimination Policy, including (with limitation) suspending the Host from the SABO Platform on a temporary or permanent basis.
      3. If the Host improperly rejects guests on the basis of protected class, or uses language demonstrating that their actions were motivated by factors prohibited by this Non-Discrimination Policy, SABO will take steps to enforce this policy, up to and including suspending the host from the SABO Platform.
  • Exceptions
    •

    The Nondiscrimination Policy applies to all parts of the SABO Platform. We recognize there are additional considerations that need to be made to account for the many different types of Host Services that are offered on the SABO Platform.

    1. Gender Exemption:
    • Hosts may offer a single gender experience if it is necessary to create a safe space (one that does not incite harm or danger and one that is not illegal), protect the safety and privacy of participants, and/or comply with legal or cultural requirements.
    1. Accessibility / Disability / Reasonable Accommodations:

    Hosts may need to inquire about Guests’ abilities to participate in certain physical activities or inquire about Guests’ accommodation needs to best prepare their Host Services. Accordingly, Hosts should:

    • Provide factually accurate information about the physical nature of the Host Services they offer so that Guests can to assess for themselves whether the Host Services are appropriate given their individual needs and capabilities.
    • Communicate with Guests who have disclosed disabilities and/or have questions regarding the accessibility of the Property and Lodgings, as well as any physical requirements of the Host Services, and to consider reasonable accommodation requests.
    • Seek opportunities to provide reasonable accommodations where accommodating a request would not substantively change the nature of the Host Services.

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