From dandrews at visi.com Wed Mar 27 20:02:43 2013 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:02:43 -0500 Subject: [Nfb-dc] FW: National Federation of the Blind Assists Federal Employee Experiencing Discrimination Message-ID: > >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > >CONTACT: >Chris Danielsen >Director of Public Relations >National Federation of the Blind >(410) 659-9314, extension 2330 >(410) 262-1281 (Cell) >Cdanielsen at nfb.org > > >National Federation of the Blind Assists Federal Employee >Experiencing Discrimination > >Washington, D.C. (March 27, 2013): With the assistance of >the National Federation of the Blind, Michael >Leiterman, an attorney with the Department of Homeland Security's >Customs and Border Protection division (CBP), has filed a >lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of >Columbia (Case 1:13-cv-00394) alleging unlawful discrimination >against him and other blind employees in violation of federal >anti-discrimination laws that require the federal government to >provide equal opportunity to people with disabilities. Mr. >Leiterman is blind and uses screen-access software, which converts >what is on a computer screen into synthesized speech, to access the >computer information required to perform his job. The basis of his >discrimination claim is that CBP has continued to procure and deploy >inaccessible software and technology, adversely affecting Mr. >Leiterman's ability to perform his job severely enough to result in >the denial of a routine promotion. Among the problems Mr. Leiterman >has experienced are inability to access Web pages and documents on >the Intranet used by CBP, inability to access his office e-mail and >the CBP computer network when telecommuting, inability to complete >training required by CBP and more. > >Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National >Federation of the Blind, said: "If blind people are to succeed in >the modern workplace, and therefore make meaningful contributions to >society, then we must have equal access to workplace technology, and >employers are required by law to provide that access or make >appropriate accommodations. The National >Federation of the Blind will continue to fight for the rights of Mr. >Leiterman and other blind federal employees to fully participate in >their workplaces and in society." > >Mr. Leiterman said: "I have spent entirely too much time over the >past six years trying to solve problems created by my employer's >unlawful use of inaccessible technology rather than performing the >legal work for which I am qualified by my advanced law degree and >which I was hired to do. Despite the fact that my work has been >satisfactory, I was denied a routine promotion because I could not >do my job effectively due to inaccessible technology. I hope that >this litigation results in my agency complying with its legal >obligations and allowing me and other federal employees who are >blind to serve the American people." > >Mr. Leiterman is represented in this matter by Joseph B. Espo of the >Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP. > >### > > >About the National Federation of the Blind > >The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest, largest, >and most influential nationwide membership organization of blind >people in the United States. Founded in 1940, the NFB advocates for >the civil rights and equality of blind Americans, and develops >innovative education, technology, and training programs to provide >the blind and those who are losing vision with the tools they need >to become independent and successful. We need your support. To >make a donation, please go to www.nfb.org. > > > > > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: