Wal-Mart sued by disabled over payment machine access

Source: Reuters

Wal-Mart sued by disabled over payment machine access

By Jonathan Stempel
Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:54pm EDT

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc has been sued by disability rights advocates who accused the world's largest retailer of failing to make payment machines accessible to disabled customers who use wheelchairs and scooters.

In what they called the first case of its kind, the plaintiffs accused Wal-Mart of discriminating against disabled customers by mounting "point-of-sale" terminals in many stores at elevated heights that cannot be reached.

They said this makes it difficult or impossible for the customers to pay for goods with credit or debit cards, and that Wal-Mart has refused to replace these older-model terminals despite using more accessible equipment in other stores.

The complaint filed on Wednesday with the federal court in San Francisco accuses Wal-Mart of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and California state laws protecting the disabled.

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5 replies	Author	Time	Post
Wal-Mart sued by disabled over payment machine access (Original post)	Eugene	Jul 2012	OP
I can't stand Wal-Mart they are such a nasty outfit!!!	gopiscrap	Jul 2012	#1
I'm no fan of Walmart but can't one just hand the card to the cashier and let them run it as credit?	notadmblnd	Jul 2012	#2
I would have to agree.	LiberalFighter	Jul 2012	#3
i don't want to be chide you	d_r	Jul 2012	#4
also	d_r	Jul 2012	#5

Response to Eugene (Original post)

Wed Jul 25, 2012, 09:06 PM

gopiscrap (2,541 posts)

1. I can't stand Wal-Mart they are such a nasty outfit!!!

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Response to Eugene (Original post)

Wed Jul 25, 2012, 09:15 PM

notadmblnd (17,119 posts)

2. I'm no fan of Walmart but can't one just hand the card to the cashier and let them run it as credit?

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Response to notadmblnd (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 25, 2012, 09:42 PM

LiberalFighter (31,085 posts)

3. I would have to agree.

It is my understanding that merchants aren't required to provide every conceivable access to handicap. Are they required to provide those scooters for handicap?

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Response to LiberalFighter (Reply #3)

Wed Jul 25, 2012, 10:10 PM

d_r (2,834 posts)

4. i don't want to be chide you

And I don't want to be chided as a word police.

But words have meaning and power and I'm going to ask you to consider something.

Something to think about is "people first language." That means simply that you put the person first. Instead of labeling someone as "handicap" and referring to them as a label, talk about them like they are a person first. You might say "people with a disability" or "people with different ability" or even "a person with limited mobility."

In that way, you don't reduce a person to just being the label - "a handicap." The person comes first, and they just happen to be a person with that difference in ability.

It works with a lot of things. Just something to consider.

Having said that, I do not know if the ADA covers this situation or not, but I am not a lawyer.

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Response to notadmblnd (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 25, 2012, 10:11 PM

d_r (2,834 posts)

5. also

I don't think they will run them for you anymore.

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