On October 20, 2009, the United States District Court for the Northern District of
California partially ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit
American Council of the Blind v. Astrue. The class action was brought under Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a civil rights statute that protects people with disabilities.
The class action challenged the effectiveness of alternative modes of communication
by SSA in its notices and other communications to Title II and Title XVI applicants,
beneficiaries, recipients, and representative payees with blindness or visual impairments.
The Court held that to comply with Section 504 “for all notices and other communications
with blind or visually impaired and Title II and Title XVI recipients and authorized
representatives, defendants shall develop and shall offer a Braille alternative and
a navigable Microsoft (MS) Word CD alternative no later than April 15, 2010.” In a
subsequent order, the Court extended this date to May 24, 2010.
NOTE: The term “authorized representatives” in the Court’s order refers to Title II and
Title XVI representative payees.
The Court also ruled that SSA is required under a Section 504 regulation, 45 CFR
85.51, to receive and rule on requests for alternative accommodations (including other
notice formats) made by Title II and Title XVI applicants, beneficiaries, recipients,
and representative payees with blindness or visual impairments.
In a subsequent order, the Court also held that after May 24, 2010, no Social Security
benefits may be reduced or terminated to any person who is shown in the SSA records
to have blindness or visual impairments (or whose authorized payee is shown to have
blindness or visual impairments) unless SSA first provided the person a notice in
the person’s approved alternative format.