DOJ Reaches an Agreement with Rite Aid on Web Accessibility

On November 1st, the Department of Justice and Rite Aid agreed to make the Rite Aid Vaccine Registration Portal meet WCAG 2.1 conformance. This came after a compliance review conducted by the government, which found that the website had several accessibility issues.

According to the court documents, user testing with assistive technology showed that:

• “Certain images, buttons, links, headings, and form fields were unlabeled or had inaccurate alternative text or labels,
• Pop-up windows and error messages were not reported to screen readers,
• Tables were missing header information and proper mark-up,
• Certain buttons could not be selected using a keyboard, and
• The contrast ratio for the color of some elements was not sufficient.”

Rite Aid has 30 days to ensure that their Vaccine Content, and any navigation path that leads to it, is compliant. They must update their accessibility page to include contact options for users to report issues or request assistance. Through the duration of the agreement, they must continue making improvements to the site. These include:

• “Continually conducting manual audits and automated tests,
• Testing the site with users who use assistive technology, and
• Training the employees in charge of updating the content on web accessibility.”

This is a crucial agreement on the path to equal access to healthcare in the digital world. Herd immunity will never be accomplished if we’re leaving people behind. Since an estimated 26% of Americans live with a disability, the need for accessible vaccine websites is current. “Equal access to healthcare is one of the most important rights guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As the nation continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic … people with disabilities must be able to schedule potentially lifesaving vaccine appointments as easily as people without disabilities can.”  

Sources:

Settlement Agreement between the United States and Rite Aid Corporation