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Accessibility Statement

Effective August 16, 2026 · Last updated August 16, 2026

We want everyone — including people who use a screen reader, navigate by keyboard only, or rely on other assistive technology — to be able to browse gigs, post a job, and manage an order on BirdGigs. This page states what we're targeting, what's actually in place, what isn't yet, and how to reach us if something doesn't work for you.

1. Our commitment

BirdGigs is committed to making BirdGigs usable by as many people as possible, regardless of ability or the technology they use to access it. Accessibility isn't a one-time project for us — it's something we intend to keep working on as the platform grows, and this statement will be updated as that work progresses.

2. Conformance target & status

Our target standard is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA — the most widely used benchmark for web accessibility, and the one most commonly referenced by accessibility laws internationally.

Status: partially conformant. Partially conformant means some parts of the site meet the target standard, some parts don't yet, and some haven't been formally checked either way. We're publishing that honestly rather than claiming full conformance we haven't verified. Section 3 lists what we know is in place; Section 4 lists what we know needs work or hasn't been checked.

3. What's in place today

Specific, verified-in-code accessibility features already on the site:

  • Semantic structure. Pages use real heading levels (<h1>–<h3>), a landmark <main> region around page content, and a “Skip to main content” link for keyboard users at the very top of every page, so keyboard and screen-reader users don't have to tab through the full navigation menu on every single page load.
  • Labeled icon controls. Icon-only controls that have no visible text (the search button, the mobile menu button, the save/favorite button, and others) carry an aria-label so a screen reader announces what they do, not just “button.”
  • Image alternative text. Photos that convey real content (a seller's gig image, profile photos) carry descriptive alt text; purely decorative or repeated images (like gallery thumbnails that duplicate an already-described main image) use an empty alt="" so screen readers skip over them instead of reading out noise.
  • Visible keyboard focus. Interactive elements — links, buttons, form fields, cards — show a visible focus outline when navigated to by keyboard, not just on mouse hover or click.
  • Responsive, zoomable text. The site uses a fluid, responsive layout and does not block browser zoom or fix text to a pixel size that resists resizing.
  • No autoplaying audio or video and no content that flashes more than three times per second.
  • Form labels. Form fields (registration, login, checkout, job posting) use associated <label> elements rather than placeholder text alone.

4. Known limitations

Specific, current gaps — listed rather than glossed over:

  • No formal audit yet. Nothing below Section 5 has been verified by an automated scanner (e.g. axe, WAVE, Lighthouse) or by testing with real assistive technology (e.g. NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver). What's listed in Section 3 is what a code-level review found; it is not a substitute for that testing.
  • Color contrast has not been formally verified against WCAG 2.1's 4.5:1 (normal text) / 3:1 (large text, UI components) thresholds across every color combination used on the site. Some secondary/muted text colors are visually light and may not meet that ratio — this needs a real contrast audit, not a guess.
  • The mobile navigation menu is a custom-built menu (not the Bootstrap default) and has not yet been tested for full keyboard operability and correct screen-reader announcement of its open/closed state.
  • Screen-reader compatibility has not been tested end-to-end across key flows (posting a gig, placing an order, messaging) with a real screen reader.
  • Dynamic content updates (e.g. live search results, new messages) have not been verified to announce correctly to assistive technology (WCAG 4.1.3, status messages).

5. How this was assessed

This statement reflects a developer-level review of the site's HTML structure, ARIA usage, image alternative text, and keyboard-focus handling as of August 16, 2026. It is a self-assessment, not an independent third-party audit, and it has not included testing with people who use assistive technology. We'd rather tell you that plainly than have this document imply a level of verification that hasn't happened. A fuller audit — automated scanning plus a manual and assistive-technology pass across the core flows — is the right next step before this statement claims more than “partially conformant.”

6. Third-party content

Some parts of the site embed third-party services we don't control the code of, including Stripe's payment form and identity-verification flow. These providers publish their own accessibility commitments; we can't certify their conformance ourselves, but we chose them in part because they invest in accessibility at a scale we don't yet operate at.

7. Feedback & reporting an issue

If you use assistive technology and run into something on BirdGigs that doesn't work — a control your screen reader can't reach, text you can't resize, contrast you can't read — we want to know about it specifically, not just that “the site has accessibility problems.” Please include:

  • The page URL or what you were trying to do
  • The browser and assistive technology you were using, if applicable
  • What you expected to happen, and what happened instead

Send that to accessibility@officepassport.com. We aim to acknowledge accessibility reports within 5 business days.

8. If you're not satisfied

If you report an issue and aren't satisfied with our response, many countries and US states have a body that handles accessibility complaints for places of public accommodation online (in the US, this can include the Department of Justice or your state attorney general's office, depending on the circumstances). We're not attorneys and this isn't legal advice on which body has jurisdiction over a specific complaint — if you need that answered authoritatively, an attorney in your jurisdiction can advise you.

9. Technical specifications

This site relies on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It's built to work with recent versions of major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) with JavaScript enabled; some interactive functionality (search suggestions, the mobile menu, messaging) requires JavaScript to be enabled and has not been verified to degrade gracefully without it.

10. Review cycle

This statement was last prepared August 16, 2026. We intend to review it at least annually, after any major redesign, and after any formal accessibility audit — whichever comes first — and to update the conformance status in Section 2 to reflect what's actually been verified at that time.

See also our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Trust & Safety.

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