[Nfbwv-talk] Fwd: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Blind Man Resolves Employment Discrimination Case with Amazon.com

Fri May 24 13:28:45 UTC 2019

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Danielsen, Chris via State-Affiliate-Leadership-List <
state-affiliate-leadership-list at nfbnet.org>
Date: Thu, May 23, 2019 at 11:28 AM
Subject: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Blind Man Resolves Employment
Discrimination Case with Amazon.com
To: Danielsen, Chris <CDanielsen at nfb.org>
CC: Danielsen, Chris <CDanielsen at nfb.org>

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

*Blind Man Resolves Employment Discrimination Case with Amazon.com*

*National Federation of the Blind Provided Legal Assistance*

*Vacaville, California (May 23, 2019):* Alfredo Estrada has reached an
agreement with Amazon.com to resolve claims that Mr. Estrada filed in July
2018 with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. He was
represented by the TRE Legal Practice with the assistance of the National
Federation of the Blind.

Mr. Estrada, who is blind, was hired for a part-time sortation associate
position at the Amazon.com sortation center in Vacaville and requested
accommodations when reporting for his first day of work in October 2017. He
alleges that Amazon.com did not participate in the interactive process for
reasonable accommodations required by the Americans with Disabilities Act
and improperly denied him the opportunity to work. Amazon denies wrongdoing
or liability. However, the parties were able to engage in meaningful
discussion and jointly reach a resolution.

Amazon.com, which already provides training on the legally required
interactive process regarding requests for accommodation, has agreed to
provide further training at its Vacaville sortation center on this
important issue. It has also committed to engage in further assessment and
interaction with Mr. Estrada to determine his ability to work in the
position for which he was hired with reasonable accommodations.

Mr. Estrada, whose vision is restricted to a very limited, pinhole central
visual field following an accident when he was a teenager, received
associate degrees in mechanical engineering technology and aircraft
maintenance technology from City College of San Francisco. He then worked
for more than twenty years as an airline mechanic at United Airlines at San
Francisco International Airport, with reasonable accommodations such as
additional training time and a person assigned to him for a finite period
to assist in orienting him to his work environment.

“I have education and skills and want to work,” said Mr. Estrada. “I am
looking forward to the opportunity to prove that I can do the job I was
hired for.”

“The National Federation of the Blind is committed to ensuring that blind
people can find employment that meets their aspirations and qualifications
without discrimination,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National
Federation of the Blind. “Our goal is for all blind Americans to have equal
employment opportunities in order to live the lives they want.”

*###*

*About the National Federation of the Blind *

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 www.nfb.org.

*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

Christopher S. Danielsen, J.D.

Director of Public Relations

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
<https://maps.google.com/?q=200+East+Wells+Street,+Baltimore,+MD+21230&entry=gmail&source=g>

(410) 659-9314, Ext. 2330 | cdanielsen at nfb.org

Twitter: @rlawyer

[image: National Federation of the Blind] <https://nfb.org/>

                         [image: Facebook]
<http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind>    [image: Twitter]
<https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice>    [image: Youtube]
<https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind>

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we
work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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-- 
Sheri Koch, President
National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia
304-993-5103