[Nfbofsc] FW: Landmark DOJ Web and Mobile App Consent Decree: What the H&R Block Ruling Means to You

Tue Mar 11 22:51:44 UTC 2014

Steve and Shannon Cook

Today I married my best friend.  

The one that I laugh with, live for, love.

October 11, 2003 

From: * WEBACCESS -- Web Accessibility Network
[mailto:WEBACCESS at LISTSERV.SC.EDU] On Behalf Of Janet Jendron
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 3:20 PM
To: WEBACCESS at LISTSERV.SC.EDU
Subject: Landmark DOJ Web and Mobile App Consent Decree: What the H&R Block
Ruling Means to You

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Justice Department Enters Consent Decree with National Tax Preparer H&R
Block Requiring Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Apps Under Americans
with Disabilities Act

Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels of the Civil Rights
Division and U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts
announced today that they have entered into a consent decree with HRB
Digital LLC and HRB Tax Group Inc., subsidiaries of H&R Block Inc., to
remedy alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The
decree resolves the department's allegations that individuals with
disabilities are denied full and equal enjoyment of largely tax-preparation
focused goods and services that are provided through H&R Block's website and
mobile applications.  The decree has been filed with the U.S. District Court
for the District of Massachusetts for the court's approval.

On Dec. 11, 2013, the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office
for the District of Massachusetts filed a complaint in intervention in the
lawsuit National Federal of the Blind (NFB) et al. v. HRB Digital LLC et al.
to enforce Title III of the ADA.  The decree resolves the complaints by the
NFB, two individual plaintiffs and the United States filed in the District
of Massachusetts. 

H&R Block is one of the largest tax return preparers in the United States.
It offers a wide range of services through its website,
<http://www.hrblock.com/> www.hrblock.com, and its mobile apps, including
professional and do-it-yourself tax preparation, instructional videos,
office location information, interactive live video conference and chat with
tax professionals, online and in-store services and electronic tax-return
filing.

The complaint alleged that H&R Block failed to code its website in a manner
that would make it accessible to individuals who have vision, hearing and
physical disabilities.  As described in the complaint, individuals with
disabilities use various assistive technologies to access the Internet,
including screen reader software, refreshable Braille displays, keyboard
navigation and captioning, among others that are not currently compatible
with H&R Block's website.  These technologies have been widely used for
decades.  The recognized international industry standards for web
accessibility, known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0,
<http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/> can be found online and are freely available
to help companies ensure that individuals with disabilities can fully and
equally enjoy their web-based goods and services.

"This landmark decree ensures that individuals with disabilities will have
an equal opportunity to independently and conveniently obtain information
and complete taxes as others do," said Acting Assistant Attorney General
Samuels.  "H&R Block is to be commended for working with the NFB and the
Justice Department in resolving to take such steps."

"For those with disabilities, an inaccessible website puts them at a great
disadvantage and further perpetuates a feeling of dependence and reliance on
others," said U.S. Attorney Ortiz.  "With thoughtful and proper web design,
businesses and organizations can have a great impact on the daily lives of
people with disabilities who, like everyone else, seek to enjoy the benefits
of technology."

Under the terms of the five year decree, H&R Block's website, tax filing
utility and mobile apps will conform to the Level AA Success Criteria of the
WCAG 2.0.  According to the decree, the H&R Block website will be accessible
for the start of the next tax filing term on Jan. 1, 2015, with additional
accessibility deadlines over the following years of the decree.
Additionally, HRB Digital and HRB Tax Group have agreed to: appoint a
skilled web accessibility coordinator who will report to H&R Block's
enterprise Chief Information Officer; adopt a web accessibility policy;
initiate training on accessible design for its web content personnel;
evaluate employee and contractor performance based on successful web access
programming; conduct regular automated and user group testing; and hire an
approved outside consultant to prepare annual independent evaluations of
Block's online accessibility.  H&R Block will also pay $45,000 to the two
individual plaintiffs, and a $55,000 civil penalty.

An accessible version of the consent decree is available on the
<http://www.ada.gov/hrb-cd.htm> ADA website.

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