Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with
Florida Income Tax Preparation Service
H&R Block Franchisee Agrees to Provide Sign Language Interpreters for Deaf
Customers
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive
settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with
HRB Businesses of Florida Inc., to ensure effective communication with
individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of tax
preparation services and courses. HRB is an H&R Block Inc. franchisee with
multiple offices.
The settlement agreement, which resolves a complaint filed under title III
of the ADA by an individual who is deaf, requires, among other things, that
HRB furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including sign language
interpreter services, when necessary to afford a person who is deaf or hard
of hearing equal access to the goods, services and accommodations made
available to others.
“Access to tax preparation services enables people with and without
disabilities to prepare and pay taxes as contributing members of our society
on an equal basis,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the
Civil Rights Division. “We are glad that, at the height of tax season, HRB
has affirmed its commitment to provide effective communication of its tax
preparation services and classes for individuals who are deaf or hard of
hearing,”
The agreement requires that HRB:
* Provide auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign language
interpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing when necessary to
ensure effective communication of its accounting services, tax preparation
services, and programs and courses;
* Adopt and enforce a policy on effective communication with individuals who
are deaf or hard of hearing, and post the policy on its Web site, in the
each reception area and in its employee manuals and other print materials;
* Distribute the policy to current and new staff;
* Compile and maintain a list of sign language interpreter providers;
* Provide staff training on the ADA and HRB’s obligations to provide
effective communication to individuals with disabilities;
* Establish, implement, publicize and monitor a grievance procedure for
ADA-related complaints from customers; and
* Pay $2,500 damages to an individual who filed an ADA complaint and a
$5,000 civil penalty.
The ADA prohibits discrimination against customers with disabilities by
businesses that serve the public. Among other things, the ADA requires tax
preparation services, accountants, lawyers, doctors and other businesses to
provide equal access to customers who are deaf or hard of hearing. When
services such as tax preparation involve important, lengthy, or complex oral
communications with customers, businesses are generally required to provide
qualified sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids, free of
charge, to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Other auxiliary aids
may include the use of relay services for telephone communication,
exchanging notes for brief and uncomplicated communications, and providing
assistive listening systems and receivers in classes for attendees who are
hard of hearing. The appropriate auxiliary aid to be provided depends on a
variety of factors including the nature, length and importance of the
communication; the communication skills and knowledge of the individual who
is deaf or hard of hearing; and the individual’s stated need for a
particular type of auxiliary aid.
Those interested in finding out more about this agreement or businesses’
effective communication obligations under the ADA can call the Justice
Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800)
514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA Web site at http://www.ada.gov
Source:
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/March/10-crt-290.html