<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Greetings all,<br>I'm sharing this information so we can all stay informed!</div><div id="AppleMailSignature"></div><div id="AppleMailSignature"><br><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">-- <br>Miranda B. Kilby<br>President<br>Tampa Bay Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of Florida<br>Vice President<br>Florida Association of Blind Students<br>2nd Vice President National Federation of the Blind of Florida<br>Ph: <a dir="ltr" href="tel:(352)942-0417" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="2">(352)942-0417</a></span></div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> National Federation of the Blind via NFBNet-Members-List <<a href="mailto:nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org">nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Date:</b> March 13, 2017 at 6:34:31 PM EDT<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org">nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind Supports Blind Healthcare Worker's Discrimination Claim</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> National Federation of the Blind <<a href="mailto:webmaster@nfb.org">webmaster@nfb.org</a>><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div>
<br>
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
<div align="center"><h1><b>National Federation of the Blind Supports
Blind Healthcare Worker's Discrimination Claim</b></h1>Blind Man Unable
to Perform his Job Due to Inaccessible Software<br><br>
</div>
<b>Boston (March 13, 2017):</b> With the assistance of the National
Federation of the Blind, the nation's leading advocate for the civil
rights of blind people, Manuel G. Morse has brought suit in Suffolk
County Superior Court (Docket No. 1784CV00773) against his employer,
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc. (BWH); its corporate parent, Partners
Healthcare Systems, Inc.; and Epic Systems Corporation, a maker of
software used at BWH and throughout the healthcare industry. Mr. Morse's
lawsuit alleges that he is unable to do his job as a hospital dispatcher
because Epic's software is not compatible with the text-to-speech screen
reading technology that he uses on his workplace computer, and that his
employer and Epic are aware of the problem but have refused to take all
appropriate steps to remedy it. Mr. Morse has been on indefinite paid
leave since May of 2015 because of this issue. His lawsuit alleges
violations of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, ยง 4, and the Massachusetts Equal
Rights Act (MERA).<br><br>
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: "While improvements to workplace technology can benefit all
workers, including the blind, if they are properly designed and
implemented, inaccessible technology can and does threaten the ability of
blind people to obtain and maintain employment. The problem is universal
but is particularly vexing in the healthcare sector, where one of the
defendants in this lawsuit is a leading provider of software being used
in healthcare facilities. The National Federation of the Blind is willing
to work with any technology vendor or employer who wishes to ensure that
its technology can be used by everyone. At the same time, we cannot and
will not tolerate unnecessarily sidelining a skilled healthcare worker
who is unable to do his job because of a problem he did not create and
was completely avoidable. We will fight for Mr. Morse and for other blind
people who find themselves in this untenable situation."<br><br>
Mr. Morse said: "Until May 27, 2015, I was a loyal, dependable, and
productive employee of Brigham and Women's Hospital who loved my job. I
felt that I was helping the hospital staff and patients and contributing
to society at large. Now I sit at home and wonder if I will be able to
work again. I am being compensated, but money is not the issue. I feel
abandoned by my employer and as if I have no purpose or value. Since my
own efforts to persuade my employers and Epic to act have failed, I must
rely on the laws and courts of Massachusetts to help me get back to
work."<br><br>
Mr. Morse is represented, with the support of the National Federation of
the Blind, by Christine M. Netski of the Boston firm Sugarman, Rogers,
Barshak & Cohen, P.C., and by Daniel F. Goldstein, Joseph B. Espo,
and Albert Elia of the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP.
<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>###<br><br>
</b></div><b>
<i>About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
</i></b>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise
the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create
obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you
want; blindness is not what holds you back.<br><br>
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</div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>NFBNet-Members-List mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:NFBNet-Members-List@nfbnet.org">NFBNet-Members-List@nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span>List archives: <<a href="http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org</a>></span><br><span>To unsubscribe from NFBNet-Members-List:</span><br><span>goto <a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/mbkilby%40gmail.com">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/mbkilby%40gmail.com</a></span></div></blockquote></body></html>