Blind man requested screen reader in job interview and was rejected: Court ruled he was discriminated against
The Be'er Sheva Labor Court ruled that Klal Insurance discriminated against a blind job candidate after he requested to use a screen reader during the job interview and was rejected. The company was ordered to pay him 50,000 shekels in compensation. The ruling determined that there is no need to prove intent to discriminate, and that the employer did not seriously examine the required accommodations.
The Be'er Sheva Labor Court ruled that Klal Insurance discriminated against a blind job candidate after he requested to use a screen reader during the job interview and was rejected. The candidate, who had significant experience as a phone representative, sought to join the company's call center. The company initially claimed that information security restrictions prevented installing the software, and later rejected his candidacy citing professional unsuitability. The court found that the company's accessibility coordinator was not involved in the process, alternatives were not examined, and the candidate's experience was not given weight. The company was ordered to pay 50,000 shekels in compensation and 5,000 shekels in legal costs. The ruling determined that there is no need to prove explicit intent to discriminate – it is sufficient that the disability was an improper consideration. The Commissioner for Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities, Dan Reshel, stated that accommodations must be seriously examined before rejecting a candidate.