Communicate with claimants in a user-friendly way

Consistent, clear, concise, and user-friendly language can optimize your claimant’s experience and the effectiveness of your system. The following recommendations can help you improve your communication with claimants.

Recommendations

System 

• Include accessibility tests in the deployment pipeline – for instance, tests to ensure the system is consistent with modern accessibility standards, such as those included in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). 
• Run accessibility tests on individual code components of the claims status tool, design system, and other user interfaces. 
• Address and troubleshoot any accessibility issues before launching your claims status tool.  

Content 

• Use the active voice.  
• Use plain language.   
• Use simple sentences and grammatical structures.   
• Try to limit sentences to no more than 25 words. 
• Use clear and action-oriented language, with direct instructions, instead of vague language. In any scenario, providing concise information using an empathetic tone is crucial. 
• Write inclusive and culturally sensitive content. 
• Include clear and actionable information, dates, and next steps to help claimants understand the status of their claims and navigate the UI system.  
• For actions required to advance the claim, indicate who is responsible for each action and what the claimant needs to do.  
• Provide notifications in multiple languages, as appropriate, and avoid using machine translation. Quality content in plain language requires specialized human translation.¹ 

Accessibility²

• Ensure compatibility with screen readers and assistive technology.   
• Optimize for readability and inclusiveness.  
• Pair icons and images with alternative text labels.  
• Use menu denominations and terms consistently.   
• Avoid using color alone to indicate status progress or changes.   
• Be platform agnostic. Use the verb ‘select or visit’ instead of ‘click or tap.’  
• Provide assisted digital support.  
• Consider mobile accessibility. 
• Design for multiple input modes including speech, keyboard, mouse, and touch screen. 
• Offer alternative methods to provide claim status updates for users with limited access to technology or unreliable internet. You could provide mail notifications, printable codes to type in, or landline phone calls. 

Key questions

• Is your claim status tool compliant with Section 508 accessibility standards and fully usable for claimants with varying abilities? 
• Have all accessibility concerns been addressed before launching your application? 
• Is your text easy to read and understand by a seventh or eighth grader? 
• Is your claim status tool compatible with assistive technology, such as screen readers or magnification software? 

Additional resources

• Check DOL’s Plain Language for claimant notices for more information and recommendations. 
• Explore the Federal plain language website to access the guidelines, relevant examples, and training opportunities. 
• Check out DOL’s recommendations on design systems with built-in accessibility and mobile-responsiveness for additional tips.