Beyond Compliance: The Journey to Accessible Documentation and Form Remediation
Case Study
Washington State Office of Financial Management
The Problem
The Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) found a major accessibility issue: their online human resources (HR) forms were inaccessible to customers with disabilities, particularly those who use screen readers. OFM hosts multiple state agencies' HR forms, including job applications, time-off requests, and performance reviews. This accessibility gap created an inequitable experience for applicants, managers, and employees with disabilities, while also violating important accessibility rules such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Section 508.
The Solution
Together with Anthro-Tech, OFM made their online HR form more accessible. We audited, remediated, tested, and improved Word documents, ensuring they worked with assistive technologies. Some HR forms were turned into accessible PDFs, while others became user-friendly online data tables. Testing with screen readers and usability studies ensured they were accessible, compliant, and usable. This helps everyone follow essential HR processes, regardless of ability.
Document remediation makes digital documents accessible. It includes reformatting and tagging them to work with screen readers and other assistive technologies.
The Impact
Our partnership with OFM went beyond compliance. Today, people with disabilities can easily use their HR forms, promoting inclusivity within the agency. Our digital accessibility experts also taught OFM to become a more accessible organization.
Together, we aligned OFM with its core value of inclusion and turned its vision of, “working together for the equitable future of every Washingtonian” into real, meaningful action.