[Blindtlk] Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform Job Due to Inaccessible Software

[Gloria]

I wish Dawn Whitfield the best!


Gloria Whipple
Corresponding Secretary
Inland Empire chapter
nfb of WA
Cell phone: 509-475-4993
 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Freeh, Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 1:28 PM
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Blindtlk] Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform Job Due
to Inaccessible Software

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Public Relations Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org


Blind New York State Employee Unable to Perform
  Job Due to Inaccessible Software




National Federation of the Blind Assisting In Litigation
  Against State Crime Victims Board



New York, New York (November 13, 2008): Dawn Whitfield, a blind woman who
has worked for the New York State Crime Victims Board for over twenty years,
filed suit today in federal court because she is no longer able to perform
the functions of her job.  The State Crime Victims Board has purchased and
implemented software that cannot be used by a blind person and is therefore
in violation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a federal law which requires
that entities receiving federal funds must have information technology in
place that is accessible to blind employees.  Because of the new software,
which is manufactured by a company called Emerging Soft, Ms. Whitfield has
been unable to perform the functions of her job since May of 2008.  The
National Federation of the Blind, the nation's oldest and largest
organization of blind people, is assisting in the litigation.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: "Like all workers in the twenty-first century, blind people must have
access to information technology in order to do their jobs effectively.
Without access to information technology in the workplace, Ms. Whitfield
does not have meaningful access to her workplace and is therefore
experiencing discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act.  The National
Federation of the Blind will do everything we can to assist her in seeking a
remedy for this deplorable situation."



Carl Jacobsen, president of the National Federation of the Blind of New
York, said: "The National Federation of the Blind of New York will not
tolerate a situation in which hard-working blind state employees are
relegated to second-class status because the agencies they work for refuse
to follow the law and purchase software that is accessible to them.  We are
committed to ensuring that Dawn Whitfield and all blind New Yorkers employed
by this state have full and equal access to information technology in the
workplace."



Dawn Whitfield said: "It is extremely frustrating that I cannot do my job
effectively because my agency did not take my needs into consideration when
purchasing new computer software, even though I made it clear to my
supervisors that I had specific needs as a blind employee and the agency was
well aware of the potential problems with this new software.  I hope that
this situation can be resolved quickly so that I can go back to assisting
crime victims in the state of New York with their claims for compensation as
I have for over twenty years.  I enjoy my work but lately it has become a
nightmare; I look forward to being a productive employee of this agency once
again."



###



About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the
largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the
United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy,
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and
self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the blindness field today and
the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.  Please
visit our Web site: <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.






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