Weimer v. U.S. Air Force

Since 2020, Disability Rights Advocates and the Law Offices of Wendy Musell have represented a group of Deaf civilian employees, applicants, and former employees in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) case against the United States Air Force—which, despite its $190 billion annual budget, has consistently failed to provide Deaf employees and applicants with American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, videophones, Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services, and other basic accommodations.

In April 2023, the EEOC appeals court, the Office of Federal Operations, affirmed an October 13, 2022, EEOC decision certifying a nationwide class of Deaf civilian employees and applicants, appointing our five clients as “class agents,” and appointing Disability Rights Advocates and the Law Offices of Wendy Musell as class counsel. The certified class consists of at least 700 Deaf civilian employees, at bases across the Air Force. The case will now go back to the EEOC Administrative Judge for further proceedings, but the successful class certification decision and this appellate win represent major victories for our clients and all the other employees they represent.