NAD Files Complaint Against Washington Mutual, Inc.
A News Release from the National Association of the Deaf
Release Date: January 16, 2008
Contact: Anita B. Farb
Director, Communications and Operations
National Association of the Deaf
Email: http://www.nad.org/contactus
NAD Files Complaint Against Washington Mutual, Inc.
Silver Spring, MD – The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed
a complaint on December 6, 2007 with the U.S. Department of Justice
against Washington Mutual, Inc. (WaMu). The complaint alleges that
WaMu refused to allow a deaf individual to apply for a credit card
when calling through a video relay service (VRS) in violation of
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The complaint
alleges that a WaMu supervisor said that WaMu policy is not to accept
credit card applications made through VRS calls.
People who are deaf should have equal access to banking, financial,
and other services that are provided by telephone, said NAD
President Bobbie Beth Scoggins. It is hard to believe that we are
still facing this kind of kind of discrimination.
The ADA established nationwide telecommunications relay services for
use by people who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have a speech
disability that are functionally equivalent to telephone services
used by people without disabilities. VRS is a telecommunications
relay service. Businesses that accept credit card applications by
telephone must accept credit card applications made through a relay
service, said Marc Charmatz, senior attorney with the NAD Law and
Advocacy Center.
The NAD requested that the U. S. Department of Justice investigate
this complaint and order Washington Mutual, Inc. to cease its
discriminatory practices.
About the NAD
Established in 1880, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
safeguards the civil, human, and language rights of deaf and hard of
hearing Americans, including recognition and usage of American Sign
Language. As a federation of national, state, and local affiliates,
and individual members, the work of the NAD encompasses a broad range
of advocacy issues including, but not limited to early intervention,
education, emergency access, employment, health care, mental health,
technology, telecommunications, and transportation toward creation
of a barrier-free, respectful, and welcoming environment that is
mutually benefits all involved. Visit http://www.nad.org
to learn more about the NAD.
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