California Class Action Against Wal-Mart May Have Implications For Canadian Businesses

A recently launched class action lawsuit in California should be noted by all Canadian businesses that make use of debit and credit card machines for customer transactions.

Two wheelchair-bound Californian women recently launched a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart, claiming that its debit and credit card machines may be out of reach for people with disabilities. The suit advises that people who use wheelchairs and other assistive devices may not able to swipe their own credit or debit cards at check out. In this instance, customers must then hand their cards to the customer service representative, with whom they must also share their private pin numbers or passwords. According to the claim, Wal-Mart has refused their requests to lower their card machines. The lawsuit alleges that Wal-Mart's refusal to lower the height of the machines is discriminatory and a violation of the claimants' civil rights. The lawsuit also cites an alleged violation of the Americans with