Lawsuit challenges Wal-Mart's inaccessible point-of-sales machines
A class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. alleges Wal-Mart of knowingly placing point-of-sale machines beyond the reach and accessibility of people with disabilities who use wheelchairs and scooters. On July 25, 2012, Disability Rights Advocates and the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund filed a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California challenging this continued practice.
"Wal-Mart's refusal to provide point-of-sale machines at accessible heights makes it extremely difficult or impossible for wheelchair and scooter users to independently and privately pay for goods using a credit or debit card. This creates barriers for many people with disabilities who cannot easily and independently process their purchase transactions at Wal-Mart stores - a basic activity of daily life for many in our country," stated DRA and DREDF in a press release. It also puts people at risk of disclosing their confidential PIN to cashiers or rely on others to verify and authorize payments during check-out transactions. The complaint states that disability organizations and consumers with disabilities have informed Wal-Mart about these issues for years, but Wal-Mart refuses to make the changes necessary to ensure its point-of-sale machines are accessible as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For more information, visit the Disability Rights Advocates website.