Hi there!

This may be only loosely computer oriented.  However, I feel a need of
some fast opinion.  In search of a job, I telephoned a company who had
their ad in the Chicago Tribune which looked to be appropriate for me.
called IPA.  They work on a nation-wide basis selling services of
professionals of various sorts to businesses all across the country.  I
spoke to the person in charge of hiring named Susan, who went about the
normal procedure of intake.  She mentioned that before my interview, I
would need to fill out an application.  I asked her if I would be able to
have some assistance in doing so.  Rather then beat around the bush, I
confessed the truth to her that I am blind.  With that remark, she claimed
that she was still interested in going through with this, but did not know
if I can be accomodated.

The way the system works, people calls names from various lists. On my
part time current job and the one which came before it, I have relied on
scanning text into my computer using Openbook, then converting the file to
ASCI in order to work from.  I explained to the woman that if I could have
a copy of the list, I would scan it in, braille it out, and nobody else
would see it.  She held firm ground that this is not possible, and that
company policy dictates that on no uncertain terms should any material go
out.

The job is right on the bus line, and tis seems like the type of thing I
could excel in if given the chance.  She would not be against my
installing a computer and scanner down at the office and doing the
scanning down there.  Even when I told her that I will have to network
through the state for it, she was okay with that.

My question is, can can an exception to a rule as this one be regarded as
a reasonable accomodation?  Another felloow with a downtown mortgage
company tried to lay the same line on me about company policy.  I talked
him into coming around about it.  When he saw that he was turning down a
potentially good salesman, he decided to go ahead and review my resum`e.

I evenly tried to bring this woman around, explaining to her that the
policy could be the difference between her tax money going to support me
and other people in our shoes.  She remained undaunted.
Is this possible cause for a lawsuit?

In order to avoid list clutter, please feel free to write me back
privately on this.

Thank you very much!
Chaim