It seems DHHSC doesn't know who should be their priority!
Advocacy vs. Money, what should get their attention?

Recently DHHSC announced that they had received a $1,000 donation from Walmart. The announcement was put on their website with a picture of DHHSC staff and Walmart staff holding the check. On the surface, there appears to be nothing earthshaking about this announcement. Walmart stores often donate to local charities. What is ironic about this donation is that while DHHSC was accepting money from Walmart they were aware that deaf employees had filed complaints against Walmart, including a deaf man in Fresno.

The deaf person in Fresno filing the complaint against Walmart, Mario Moreno visited a recent Alliance meeting. We had the opportunity to ask him about his case. With Mario's cooperation and permisson, the following is a summary of the questions we asked him and the translation of his answers.

Q - How long had you worked at Walmart?
A - Six years and five months.

Q - What kind of complaint have you filed against Walmart?
A - Discrimination and wrongful termination

Q - When did the incident happen that is the focus of the complaint?
A - July 27th, 2003.

Q - Did you go to DHHSC for help with the situation?
A - Yes, I met with Susan Coulter.

Q - Did she say they would help you?
A - She said she would be contacting me.

Q - Then what happened?
A - I waited a month and no one from DHHSC contacted me. So I went ahead and filed the paperwork myself.

Q-How did you feel seeing a picture of DHHSC staff receiving a check from Walmart?
A- Disgusted, because DHHSC did not advocate for me!

Advocacy is one of the seven services DHHSC is mandated to provide according to their Department of Social Services contract that provides the bulk of their funding. For DHHSC to fail to provide advocacy assistance involving Walmart and then turn around and accept a donation from Walmart is hypocritical at best and the selling out of the deaf community at worst. We do not expect DHHSC to judge the validity of his complaint, just assist him in seeking regress through the proper channels and attempt to protect his rights to due process.

Recently DHHSC announced that they had received a $ 1,000 donation from Walmart. The announcement was put on their website with a picture of DHHSC staff and Walmart staff holding the check. On the surface, there appears to be nothing earthshaking about this announcement. Walmart stores often donate to local charities. What is ironic about this announcement is that while DHHSC is accepting money from Walmart, deaf employees have filed discrimination complaints against Walmart, including a deaf man in Fresno.

The deaf person in Fresno filing the complaint against Walmart, Mario Moreno visited a recent Alliance meeting. We had the opportunity to ask him about his case. With Mario's cooperation and permisson, the following is a summary of the questions we asked him and the translation of his answers.

Q - How long had you worked at Walmart?
A - Six years and five months.

Q - What kind of complaint have you filed against Walmart?
A -iscrimination

Q - When did the incident happen that is the focus of the complaint?
A - July 27th, 2003.

Q - Did you go to DHHSC for help with the situation?
A - Yes. I met with Susan Coulter.

Q - Did she say they would help you?
A - She said she would be contacting me.

Q - Then what happened?
A - I waited a month and no one from DHHSC contacted me. So I went ahead and filed the paperwork myself.

Q- How do you feel seeing the picture of DHHSC staff receiving a check from Walmart?
A- Disgusted. DHHSC did not advocate for me.

Advocacy is one of the seven services DHHSC is mandated to provide according to their Department of Social Services contract that provides the bulk of their funding. For DHHSC to fail to provide advocacy assistance involving Walmart and then turn around and accept a donation from Walmart is hypocritical at best and the selling out of the deaf community at worst. We do not expect DHHSC to judge the validity of his complaint, just assist him in seeking regress through the proper channels and attempt to protect his rights to due process.

Recently DHHSC announced that they had received a $ 1,000 donation from Walmart. The announcement was put on their website with a picture of DHHSC staff and Walmart staff holding the check. On the surface, there appears to be nothing earthshaking about this announcement. Walmart stores often donate to local charities. What is ironic about this announcement is that while DHHSC is accepting money from Walmart, deaf employees have filed discrimination complaints against Walmart, including a deaf man in Fresno.

The deaf person in Fresno filing the complaint against Walmart, Mario Moreno visited a recent Alliance meeting. We had the opportunity to ask him about his case. With Mario's cooperation and permisson, the following is a summary of the questions we asked him and the translation of his answers.

Q - How long had you worked at Walmart?
A - Six years and five months.

Q - What kind of complaint have you filed against Walmart?
A -Discrimination

Q - When did the incident happen that is the focus of the complaint?
A - July 27th, 2003.

Q - Did you go to DHHSC for help with the situation?
A - Yes. I met with Susan Coulter.

Q - Did she say they would help you?
A - She said she would be contacting me.

Q - Then what happened?
A - I waited a month and no one from DHHSC contacted me. So I went ahead and filed the paperwork myself.

Q- How do you feel seeing the picture of DHHSC staff receiving a check from Walmart?
A- Disgusted. DHHSC did not advocate for me.

Advocacy is one of the seven services DHHSC is mandated to provide according to their Department of Social Services contract that provides the bulk of their funding. For DHHSC to fail to provide advocacy assistance involving Walmart and then turn around and accept a donation from Walmart is hypocritical at best and the selling out of the deaf community at worst. We do not expect DHHSC to judge the validity of his complaint, just assist him in seeking regress through the proper channels and attempt to protect his rights to due process.