GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer settled an agreement to eliminate obstacles stopping people with certain disabilities from accessing information about COVID-19 vaccinations and booking vaccination appointments online.
The announcement comes from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan and the Justice Department.
Previously, those with disabilities could not move past the first step if they use the tab key instead of a mouse, which was required for the initial step of the vaccination registration process. The issue prevented some from selecting the button stating, “click here to schedule an appointment.”
Those who experienced the issue the most use screen reader software or have a hard time using a mouse.
Additionally, Vaccine Registration Portal failed to notify people who use screen readers what information they were supposed to put on scheduling forms, including their first and last names, birth date, and zip code the Department of Justice reports.
“Our office is dedicated to upholding the civil rights of all people in the United States, including those with disabilities. Those rights include full and equal access to health information and medical care, such as COVID-19 vaccinations,” said U.S. Attorney Birge. “This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to enforcing the ADA, protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities, and supporting our nation’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Under the recent settlement, Meijer will adapt internet resources about the COVID-19 vaccine to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) in addition to regularly testing web pages of their website to prevent and eliminate any issues that stop people with disabilities from being able to use the website fully.
“As our nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Justice Department will not allow members of the disability community to be left behind,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Individuals with disabilities are an important part of the fabric of our country, and it is critical that they have equal access to potentially life-saving vaccines.”
Anyone can report possible civil rights violations online to the Department of Justice. Alternatively, those in the Western District of Michigan can report civil rights violations directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan by calling 616-808-2195 or emailing usamiw.civilrights@usdoj.gov.
