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<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></span></span></p>
<h1><span style="font-size:24pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,serif"><strong>Amazon Agrees to Make Remote Customer Service Associate Roles Available to the Blind</strong></span></span></h1>
<h2><span style="font-size:18pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><em>Discrimination Lawsuit Brought by Blind Woman Resolved</em></span></span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Detroit (July 16, 2020):</strong> Maryann Murad, a blind Michigan resident, and the National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of blind Americans, have reached an agreement with Amazon.com resolving the employment discrimination lawsuit they brought in September of 2019. Without admitting liability or wrongdoing, Amazon has agreed to implement accessible technology that will allow blind people to work from home as Amazon customer service representatives. Amazon will also offer Ms. Murad a work-at-home customer service position upon her successful completion of the application process and pay an undisclosed
amount of money.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 2017, Ms. Murad tried to apply for a virtual customer service (VCS) position with Amazon, but the proprietary Amazon technology required to perform the duties of the VCS role was inaccessible with Voiceover, the Apple text-to-speech screen-reading software that Ms. Murad uses to complete tasks on her computer. Amazon has created proprietary technology that is now accessible.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“We are pleased to reach this agreement with Amazon and hope that it is an important step in making the company a leader in twenty-first-century employment for blind people,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “Accessible technology is a key to equal employment of the blind, and this is even more true with remote employment on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Blind people can and must be a part of existing and new work environments in order to live the lives we want, and the National Federation of the Blind will continue to ensure that blind Americans are connected and
protected.”</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>###</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About the National Federation of the Blind</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at <a
href='https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=17972&qid=3973542' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">www.nfb.org</a>. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>CONTACT:</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chris Danielsen<br />
Director of Public Relations</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">National Federation of the Blind</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">(410) 659-9314, extension 2330</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">(410) 262-1281 (Cell)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><a href='https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=17973&qid=3973542' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span></span></p>
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