Meijer, government settle dispute over access to COVID-19 vaccination portal by those with disabilities – MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI The federal government has reached a settlement with Meijer Inc. over accessibility to the retailers COVID-19 vaccination portal.

People with certain disabilities were unable to access information about vaccines or book appointments online, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan said in a statement.

Meijer agreed to eliminate barriers.

The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday, Feb. 2, announced the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) settlement agreement.

The government has reached settlements with other major retailers over similar concerns.

The government said that those with particular disabilities, including those who use screen-reader software or have difficulty using a mouse, and instead used tab to navigate Meijers website, could not select a button that said, Click here to schedule an appointment.

The Vaccine Registration Portal also did not always tell people who use screen readers what information they were supposed to put on scheduling forms, including their first and last names, birthdate and zip code, the government statement said.

The ADA requires places like grocery stores to provide those with disabilities full access to goods and services, including vaccines.

Our office is dedicated to upholding the civil rights of all people in the United States, including those with disabilities, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge said.

Those rights include full and equal access to health information and medical care, such as COVID-19 vaccinations. This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to enforcing the ADA, protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities, and supporting our nations fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said Meijer agreed to make its website accessible to those with disabilities so they can obtain information about the vaccine and schedule appointments.

Kristen Clarke, an assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, said that it is critical that (those with disabilities) have equal access to potentially life-saving vaccines.

Frank Guglielmi, Meijers senior director of communications, declined to comment beyond what was contained in the agreement.

The agreement said Meijer has cooperated fully to reach an amicable resolution. Meijer denied violating the ADA and disputed the allegation its vaccine-registration portal violated the ADA.

Meijer represents that it is dedicated to enriching lives in the communities that Meijer serves, the agreement said.

Meijer further represents that during the COVID pandemic and national emergency, Meijer rapidly responded in a number of ways. For example, Meijer states that it has maximized the ability of the community to access the COVID vaccine by providing customers various tools to schedule an appointment, such as through in person registration, via phone or the Vaccine Registration Portal.

Meijer noted its stores held many on- and off-site mass vaccination clinics and administered over 2 million vaccines. The agreement said Meijer had worked to ensure accessibility before being contacted by the government.

Meijer, based in Walker, has 258 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

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Meijer, government settle dispute over access to COVID-19 vaccination portal by those with disabilities - MLive.com