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https://federalreserve.gov

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
62
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
2
PASS
6
INFO
0
Checks
13
6 PASS 2 REVIEW 5 FIX
F
Favicon & Branding
Action
1 icon(s) detected
FIX
1 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
favicon.ico Present
PNG Icons Missing
Apple Touch Missing
SVG Favicon Missing
Manifest Icons Missing
Multiple Sizes Missing
D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set Dark theme-color Not set CSS indicators Not detected

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found Inline @media print Not detected
D
Navigation UX
Action
2 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
2 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
Back-to-top link detected
Info::
3 navigation landmark(s) detected
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 3 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
3 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
C
Form Accessibility
Action
3 of 11 controls have issues
REVIEW
3 of 11 controls have issues
Critical::
3 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <select id="vjs_select_651">; <select id="vjs_select_670">; <select id="vjs_select_685">
Info::
8 control(s) properly labeled
11 controls
8 labeled
0 placeholder only
3 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#t1searchtextSearchfor/id
#t2searchtextSearchfor/id
#vjs_select_601selectColorfor/id
#vjs_select_606selectOpacityfor/id
#vjs_select_616selectColorfor/id
#vjs_select_621selectOpacityfor/id
#vjs_select_631selectColorfor/id
#vjs_select_636selectOpacityfor/id
#vjs_select_651select(none)none
#vjs_select_670select(none)none
#vjs_select_685select(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<select id="vjs_select_651">; <select id="vjs_select_670">; <select id="vjs_select_685">

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 3 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

17 pass 3 fail WCAG AA
span Expand sub-menu
2.55:1
#000000
on
#3E5068
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a About the Fed
2.95:1
#000000
on
#3C5A7C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient
a Structure of the Federal Reserve System
2.39:1
#000000
on
#254D74
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold

1 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 Board of Governors o…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Economy at a Glance21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Upcoming Calendar21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 The Federal Reserve21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Policy Rate21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Inflation (PCE)21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Unemployment Rate21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Gross Domestic Produ…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Principal Economic I…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Federal Reserve Cons…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 The FOMC Calendar21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 U.S. Currency Educat…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
title Federal Reserve Boar…18.59:14.5:1
#000000
#F1F1F1
Pass
a Skip to main content9.68:14.5:1
#000000
#A9B1BA
Pass
span Expand sub-menu2.55:14.5:1
#000000
#3E5068
Fail
a About the Fed2.95:14.5:1
#000000
#3C5A7C
Fail
a Structure of the Fed…2.39:14.5:1
#000000
#254D74
Fail
a The Fed Explained14.34:14.5:1
#000000
#ECD1B3
Pass
a Board Members21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Advisory Councils21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A
Landmark Structure
12 landmarks
PASS
12 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
3 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
3 of 3 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

A
Heading Hierarchy
25 headings, 1 skip(s)
PASS
25 headings, 1 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H3 → H6 (missing H4)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H1 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
  • H2 Economy at a Glance
  • H3 Policy Rate
  • H3 Inflation (PCE)
  • H3 Unemployment Rate
  • H3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
  • H2 Upcoming Calendar
  • H3 Federal Reserve's Renovation of Two Historic Buildings FAQs
  • H2 The Federal Reserve
  • H3 Review of Monetary Policy Strategy, Tools, and Communications
  • H3 Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Resources
  • H3 FAQ: Damaged Currency
  • H3 What is FedNow?
  • H3 Principal Economic Indicators
  • H3 Protect Yourself from Fraud and Scams
  • H3 Fed Listens 2025
  • H3 Proposals for Comment
  • H3 Funding, Credit, Liquidity, and Loan Facilities and Reporting
  • H3 Financial Innovation
  • H3 Federal Reserve Consumer Help
  • H3 The FOMC Calendar
  • H3 U.S. Currency Education Program
  • H6 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System skipped
  • H6 Tools and Information
  • H6 Stay Connected

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 13 images OK
PASS
All 13 images OK
Info::
1 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
12 image(s) with good alt text
13 images 12 good alt text 1 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
A
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
PASS
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
Info::
Homepage link present on 404 page
Info::
Search form present on 404 page
404 Page Quality Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 Page Title Lock Custom Styling Navigation Homepage Link Search Form
A+
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 99/100 — 2 failing, 30 passed
PASS
99

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
TUE 4/21 div.calendar-module > div.calendar > div.calendar__day > h4.calendar__header
BOARD OF GOVERNORS of the FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM footer.container > div.row > div.col-xs-12 > h6.footer__heading

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
View More div.card > div.card-body > div.more > a
View More div._column_owt5y_1 > div.homepageBox > div.homepageContent > a
View More div._column_owt5y_1 > div.homepageBox > div.homepageContent > a
View More div._column_owt5y_1 > div.homepageBox > div.homepageContent > a
Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
The page has a logical tab order
Visual order on the page follows DOM order
User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
Custom controls have associated labels
Custom controls have ARIA roles
`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
`[role]` values are valid
`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
Buttons have an accessible name
Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
Document has a `<title>` element
`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
Links have a discernible name
Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
Skip links are focusable.
Document has a main landmark.
Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
Identical links have the same purpose.
`[accesskey]` values are unique
Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
ARIA input fields have accessible names
ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
ARIA IDs are unique
No form fields have multiple labels
`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
Input buttons have discernible text.
`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
Form elements have associated labels
Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
`<object>` elements have alternate text
Select elements have associated label elements.
Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
All heading elements contain content.
Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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