Case: Best Buy POS Settlement Agreement

N/A | No Court

Filed Date: 2010

Closed Date: 2011

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

Claimants, nonprofits representing the interest of the visually impaired, sent a letter to Best Buy claiming that the electronics retailer failed to comply with various federal and state disability access statutes. Keypads used on the point of sale devices (credit card readers) at Best Buy stores featured only a digital screen, which is impossible to read for many of the visually impaired. As a result, customers were forced to tell the cashier their Personal Identification Number (PIN), resulti…

Claimants, nonprofits representing the interest of the visually impaired, sent a letter to Best Buy claiming that the electronics retailer failed to comply with various federal and state disability access statutes. Keypads used on the point of sale devices (credit card readers) at Best Buy stores featured only a digital screen, which is impossible to read for many of the visually impaired. As a result, customers were forced to tell the cashier their Personal Identification Number (PIN), resulting in significant privacy and security issues. Best Buy informed claimants that they intended to fix the issue and entered into negotiations to reach that goal.

Following negotiations, Best Buy entered into a settlement agreement in 2010, under which it agreed to begin to install tactile keypads on their point of sale devices in all stores across the country. Functioning like a telephone keypad, these new devices will allow the visually impaired to keep their PIN private. Each store will be equipped with a number of the keypads, depending on store size, and sufficient staff trained in their use.

Summary Authors

Abe Hiatt (2/17/2013)

People


Attorney for Plaintiff

Dardarian, Linda M. (California)

Feingold, Lainey [Elaine] (California)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

Best Buy Tactile POS Settlement Agreement

Jan. 15, 2010

Jan. 15, 2010

Settlement Agreement

Best Buy Tactile POS Press Release

Best Buy POS Settlement Agreement

March 31, 2010

March 31, 2010

Press Release

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 1:33 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Minnesota

Case Type(s):

Disability Rights

Key Dates

Filing Date: 2010

Closing Date: 2011

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiffs are the American Council of the Blind (ACB), the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the California Council of the Blind (CCB), three not-for-profit organizations working to improve quality of life for the visually impaired. CCB is the state affiliate partner of ACB, both of which are primarily consumer-based organizations. AFB is a national organization focusing on issues concerning the visually impaired and also provide informational resources to concerned parties.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

Law Office of Lainey Feingold

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Best Buy Stores, L.P. (Minneapolis, Hennepin), Private Entity/Person

Defendant Type(s):

Retailer

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.

Special Case Type(s):

Out-of-court

Available Documents:

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Private Settlement Agreement

Order Duration: 2010 - 2011

Content of Injunction:

Reasonable Accommodation

Issues

General:

Other

Retail Shopping

Disability and Disability Rights:

Reasonable Accommodations

Visual impairment

Discrimination-area:

Accommodation / Leave

Discrimination-basis:

Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)

Type of Facility:

Non-government for-profit