[NFBWV-Talk] Fwd: [State-Affiliate-Leadership-List] Blind Employee Sues Beacon Health Options

Fri Nov 1 14:56:50 UTC 2019

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Danielsen, Chris via State-Affiliate-Leadership-List <
state-affiliate-leadership-list at nfbnet.org>
Date: Thu, Oct 31, 2019 at 2:36 PM
Subject: [State-Affiliate-Leadership-List] Blind Employee Sues Beacon
Health Options
To: NCB Staff <NCBStaff at nfb.org>, nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org <
nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>, State Affiliate Leadership List <
state-affiliate-leadership-list at nfbnet.org>
CC: Danielsen, Chris <CDanielsen at nfb.org>

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

*Blind Employee Sues Beacon Health Options*

*Suit Says Inaccessible Technology Creates Barriers to Doing Her Job*

*Cambridge, Massachusetts (October 31, 2019): *Amy Ruell, a blind licensed
independent clinical social worker, is suing her employer, Beacon Health
Options, because inaccessible software and online resources that it uses
prevent her from doing critical parts of her job independently. Among other
things, Ms. Ruell cannot fully participate in mandatory job trainings
(although she is still tested on their content despite that fact), access
patients’ clinical records in order to make accurate assessments and
recommendations, or participate in virtual conferences with colleagues, the
lawsuit says. Even when Ms. Ruell proposed accessible solutions, such as
replacing the inaccessible virtual training and meeting platform WebEx with
the accessible Zoom Video Communications, Beacon Health Options took four
years to make that change and still has not remediated other inaccessible
software, the suit alleges.

Like many other blind people, Ms. Ruell uses screen reader technology to
access and interact with digital content and applications. This technology
converts digital content into words spoken via synthesized speech or into
Braille through a connected device called a refreshable Braille display. It
also allows blind users to interact with content and applications using the
computer keyboard instead of a mouse. Improperly coded websites and
applications, however, do not convey the information this technology needs
to properly interpret the content and layout of the site or application, do
not permit actions to be taken via keystrokes instead of mouse clicks, or
present other barriers to equal access. Because Ms. Ruell’s job involves
working overnight from her home, she is particularly dependent on telephone
and computer technology provided by Beacon Health Options.

Ms. Ruell’s lawsuit alleges that Beacon Health Options’ failure to use
accessible technology and to otherwise reasonably accommodate her violate
provisions of both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the
Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act. The National Federation of the
Blind (NFB), America’s civil rights organization of the blind, is assisting
in the litigation. Ms. Ruell is president of the National Federation of the
Blind of Massachusetts and a member of the NFB’s national board of
directors. She is represented by Christine M. Netski of the Boston firm
Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C. and by Joseph B. Espo and Kevin D.
Docherty of the Baltimore firm Brown Goldstein Levy LLP.

“Ms. Ruell is one of far too many blind people whose livelihoods or
employment prospects are threatened by gratuitously inaccessible technology
and we appreciate her courage in speaking out against these barriers,” said
Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “The
problem of inaccessible technology is compounded when companies refuse to
make reasonable accommodations for blind employees as required by law. The
National Federation of the Blind will never hesitate to fight for blind
workers who experience this flagrant and unlawful discrimination.”

*###*

*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

This press release is also available at:
https://www.nfb.org/about-us/press-room/blind-employee-sues-beacon-health-options

Christopher S. Danielsen, J.D.

Director of Public Relations

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/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/>

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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