{"id":9782,"date":"2010-03-21T21:28:08","date_gmt":"2010-03-22T02:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=9782"},"modified":"2010-03-22T05:52:41","modified_gmt":"2010-03-22T10:52:41","slug":"hr-block-franchisee-agrees-to-provide-interpreters-for-deaf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/03\/21\/hr-block-franchisee-agrees-to-provide-interpreters-for-deaf\/","title":{"rendered":"H&R Block Franchisee Agrees to Provide Interpreters for Deaf"},"content":{"rendered":"

Department of Justice<\/p>\n

Office of Public Affairs<\/p>\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\n

Thursday, March 18, 2010<\/p>\n

Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with
\nFlorida Income Tax Preparation Service<\/p>\n

H&R Block Franchisee Agrees to Provide Sign Language Interpreters for Deaf
\nCustomers<\/strong><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON \u2013 The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive
\nsettlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with
\nHRB Businesses of Florida Inc., to ensure effective communication with
\nindividuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of tax
\npreparation services and courses. HRB is an H&R Block Inc. franchisee with
\nmultiple offices.<\/p>\n

The settlement agreement, which resolves a complaint filed under title III
\nof the ADA by an individual who is deaf, requires, among other things, that
\nHRB furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including sign language
\ninterpreter services, when necessary to afford a person who is deaf or hard
\nof hearing equal access to the goods, services and accommodations made
\navailable to others.<\/p>\n

“Access to tax preparation services enables people with and without
\ndisabilities to prepare and pay taxes as contributing members of our society
\non an equal basis,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the
\nCivil Rights Division. “We are glad that, at the height of tax season, HRB
\nhas affirmed its commitment to provide effective communication of its tax
\npreparation services and classes for individuals who are deaf or hard of
\nhearing,”<\/p>\n

The agreement requires that HRB:<\/p>\n

* Provide auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign language
\ninterpreters, to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing when necessary to
\nensure effective communication of its accounting services, tax preparation
\nservices, and programs and courses;
\n* Adopt and enforce a policy on effective communication with individuals who
\nare deaf or hard of hearing, and post the policy on its Web site, in the
\neach reception area and in its employee manuals and other print materials;
\n* Distribute the policy to current and new staff;
\n* Compile and maintain a list of sign language interpreter providers;
\n* Provide staff training on the ADA and HRB\u2019s obligations to provide
\neffective communication to individuals with disabilities;
\n* Establish, implement, publicize and monitor a grievance procedure for
\nADA-related complaints from customers; and
\n* Pay $2,500 damages to an individual who filed an ADA complaint and a
\n$5,000 civil penalty.<\/p>\n

The ADA prohibits discrimination against customers with disabilities by
\nbusinesses that serve the public. Among other things, the ADA requires tax
\npreparation services, accountants, lawyers, doctors and other businesses to
\nprovide equal access to customers who are deaf or hard of hearing. When
\nservices such as tax preparation involve important, lengthy, or complex oral
\ncommunications with customers, businesses are generally required to provide
\nqualified sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids, free of
\ncharge, to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Other auxiliary aids
\nmay include the use of relay services for telephone communication,
\nexchanging notes for brief and uncomplicated communications, and providing
\nassistive listening systems and receivers in classes for attendees who are
\nhard of hearing. The appropriate auxiliary aid to be provided depends on a
\nvariety of factors including the nature, length and importance of the
\ncommunication; the communication skills and knowledge of the individual who
\nis deaf or hard of hearing; and the individual\u2019s stated need for a
\nparticular type of auxiliary aid.<\/p>\n

Those interested in finding out more about this agreement or businesses\u2019
\neffective communication obligations under the ADA can call the Justice
\nDepartment’s toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800)
\n514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA Web site at http:\/\/www.ada.gov<\/a><\/p>\n

Source:
\nhttp:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/2010\/March\/10-crt-290.html <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[114,3472,3812,3813,40,717],"class_list":["post-9782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-ada","tag-americans-with-disabilities-act","tag-dept-of-justice","tag-hr-block","tag-interpreter","tag-tax"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-2xM","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13085,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/02\/01\/doj-settlement-with-hr-block\/","url_meta":{"origin":9782,"position":0},"title":"DOJ Settlement with H&R Block","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"February 1, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"DOJ Settlement with H&R Block Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, January 31, 2011 Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with H&R Block WASHINGTON - 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