[mountainstate] Letter to EEOC for Public Comment

[JRayl]

Tricounty Chapter of

Mountain State Council of the Blind

PO Box 2756

Martinsburg, WV 25402

(304) 263-2996

eaglewings at wvdsl.net









U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

131 M Street, NE

Washington, DC 20507



RE: Public Comment to ADAA



Dear Commissioners:

I am President of the Tricounty Chapter of Mountain State Council of the Blind. I have reviewed the EEOC's revision of the ADAA 
and want to commend your efforts in this.

Under No. 7, we would ask that you consider adding "screenreaders, braille displays and communicators for deaf-blind" as part of 
your listings of items to be covered by employers for blind, visually impaired and for deaf-blind employees. I realize this may 
seem redundant, lengthen the list, etc.; however, I believe it is essential for employers to understand the importance that these 
devices play to this population.

I will give an example of recently working with an individual who is deaf and was in need of a communicator for his employment as 
his hearing coworkers were unable to effectively communicate with him. Because his employer failed to purchase the communicator, 
and because they refused to learn sign language, this man ultimately lost his job, filed an EEOC complaint and it all became a 
long-drawn-out situation which could have been avoid had a communicatication device simply been provided to him.

If these things are clearly spelled out and defined to begin with, people with disabilities find it becomes easier to work with 
potential employers and employers. Employers then know what is expected of them. When terms are vague, e.g. "reasonable", problems 
are more likely to arise because everyone is unclear of what is expected and each person reaches his / her own definition.



EEOC Public Comment

September 24 ADAA

10-28-2009



Again, thank you for your time and effort in this revision of the ADA. Thank you for your consider of these above suggestions and 
comments.

Sincerely,







Jessie L. Rayl, MA, LPC ALPS

President

TCMSC B



Jessie L. Rayl, MA, ALPS, LPC
Pathways Counseling Services
Phone:  (304) 262-8020
Email: eaglewings at wvdsl.net
604 Wilson Street
Martinsburg, WV 25401

"To be sensitive is to feel the thoughts and hearts of others as you would want yours to be felt."--unknown