Monster.com will be the first job search and recruitment website in the industry to provide job seekers who are blind with full and equal access to all of its products and services including mobile applications.
Monster.com provides a full array of job seeking, career management, recruitment, and talent management products and services in more than 40 countries.
Monster.com and Accessibility
Here is more information from the National Federation of the Blind announcement:
“Over the past year, a team at Monster has been working closely with teams from the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office to enhance our Monster.com website in a way that will provide more opportunities for blind job seekers to find jobs,” said Mark Conway, Chief Information Officer, Monster Worldwide.
“Although portions of our site were already accessible, we all agreed we could do more. Based on the work of these teams, the Monster.com site will be enhanced to make its website and mobile applications accessible to blind job seekers. This has been an enormous undertaking and is an exciting accomplishment for which we can all be proud.”
To make its website and mobile applications accessible to job seekers who are blind, Monster is making them compatible with innovative technology called screen access software that renders on-screen information into braille or speech, so that blind individuals can use keyboard commands to access the same information as sighted users.
NFB and Full and Equal Access
“The National Federation of the Blind works for full and equal access by blind Americans to all forms of digital information,” said Dr. Marc Maurer, President of NFB. “Access to digital information and applications is critical to success in the twenty-first century in all areas of life, including searching and applying for career opportunities. We are therefore pleased that Monster is making this commitment to full and equal access to its website and mobile applications. We also thank the Attorney General of Massachusetts for being such a strong partner and advocate for accessibility.”
Accessible Mobile Applications and Customer Service Training
In accordance with the agreement, Monster is in the process of making its desktop and mobile websites fully and equally accessible and will have its mobile applications accessible within two years. Monster has also ensured the templates employers use to post job advertisements on its site will be fully and equally accessible within six months.
Monster will also train its customer service representatives to assist users who are blind and will establish a standing committee to oversee implementation of the agreement and other issues related to accessibility in the future. In addition, Monster has agreed to work with the NFB to encourage higher education programs to incorporate accessible design and assistive technology in to their core curricula.
You can read the full press release at the National Federation of the Blind website.
Additional Information
VisionAware has information and resources to help you learn more about Working-Age Adults with Blindness or Low Vision, including assistive and adaptive workplace technology.
AccessWorld®: Technology and People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired is the monthly online magazine from American Foundation for the Blind that presents objective information, informed commentary, and cutting-edge news and trends about information technology and visual impairment.
CareerConnect is an employment information resource developed by the American Foundation for the Blind for job seekers who are blind or visually impaired. CareerConnect presents employment information, Virtual Worksites, career exploration tools, and job-seeking guidance for students and adults with vision loss and the professionals who work with them.