<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:normal;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
h2
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:normal;
font-size:18.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:120%;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";}
span.Heading2Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 2";
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
font-weight:bold;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> State-affiliate-leadership-list [mailto:state-affiliate-leadership-list-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Lewis, Anil<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, November 28, 2012 3:29 PM<br><b>To:</b> Affiliate Presidents (state-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org); NFB Chapter Presidents discussion list (chapter-presidents@nfbnet.org)<br><b>Subject:</b> [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Goodwill Asserts: The Federation Refutes<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From the National Association of Blind Students - Fall Slate 2012<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfb.org/braille-monitor">http://www.nfb.org/braille-monitor</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:#151B54'><a name="#5"><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:white'>Goodwill Asserts: The Federation Refutes</span></b></a><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:white'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>By Anil Lewis</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>From the Editor:</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'> Anil Louis is the Director of Strategic Communications at the National Federation of the Blind headquarters in Baltimore. Here he shares with us why he is so passionate about getting equal pay for workers with disabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>The members of the National Federation of the Blind have been fighting for years to repeal Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is a legal provision that permits employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. Some workers with disabilities are receiving subminimum wages as low as 3 cents per hour. With the introduction of the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act, HR 3086, we are ever closer to achieving our goal. The key to our success will be in our efforts to educate the public about this exploitive provision. We have chosen to highlight Goodwill International's use of the subminimum wage practice because they are a household name that most people associate with workers with disabilities, but most are unaware that they pay some of their workers with disabilities as little as 22 cents per hour. The following description from Goodwill International asserts their position on the merit of Section 14(c) of the FLSA. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:white'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:white'>As anyone who has ever known the satisfaction of achieving a professional goal knows, there is an intrinsic value to working that cannot be denied. We innately crave purpose, a sense of accomplishment, self-respect fostered by accomplishment, and acknowledgement for our contributions to life around us. Yet today, for nearly 80 percent of Americans with disabilities, opportunities to feel valued and fulfilled through meaningful employment do not exist. The number of people with disabilities not accessing the workforce would be greater if not for a provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows employers to utilize a Special Minimum Wage Certificate to hire those with the most severe disabilities. This provision has led to the creation of jobs for hundreds of thousands of people with multiple physical and mental disabilities who report to work each day, flourish in friendships with their supervisors and co-workers, delight in mastering new tasks and learning new skills, and take pride in their “jobs well done.” Seven thousand of these Americans work at Goodwills across the country. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:white'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>So many people read this statement and they are convinced that Goodwill is the answer to the plight of people with disabilities. We maintain that if Goodwill's use of the Section 14(c) provision is the answer, someone is not asking the right questions. Why doesn't Goodwill disclose that they pay many of their workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage? When did we as Americans get to a point where it is considered compassionate to set such low expectations for our citizens? How many of us would consider it compassionate for Goodwill, or any employer, to use this same language to justify paying nondisabled workers' wages below the federal minimum wage? How many times must our ignorance allow us to deny rights and privileges to a population of people based on a characteristic? If employment at subminimum wages under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act is the answer to the unemployment problem of people with disabilities, then why is it not being touted as the employment solution for the many nondisabled American citizens unemployed today? Moreover, if it is truly a solution, why after over seventy years of access to this unreasonable provision, is there still such a disparity between the employment of the nondisabled as compared to the disabled? Goodwill's assertions do not support the use of this unfair, discriminatory, immoral provision. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that the Section 14(c) provision is a tool used to assist workers with disabilities obtain employment, and Subminimum wage work affords individuals with significant disabilities an opportunity to gain work experience that they otherwise may not have. However, the data shows that subminimum wage employment teaches skills that must be unlearned in order for a person to obtain competitive employment. Therefore, rather than preparing a person for competitive integrated employment, subminimum wage employment perpetuates on-going subminimum wage employment. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that Section 14(c) permits their affiliates to obtain Special Wage Certificates authorizing the payment of special minimum wages to workers who have disabilities for the work being performed. The work performed in these situations revolve around the work the employer needs performed in order to operate their business, not the work that meets the employee's unique skills, interests and abilities. If the employer needs envelopes stuffed, the work is envelope stuffing. If the employer needs widgets assembled, the work is widget assembly. They promote this work as job training. If true training is to be provided, trainees should be performing work that takes advantage of their unique skills and abilities assisting them to acquire productive job skills and to secure competitive integrated employment. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that they are in full compliance with federal and state rules. However, compliance with a discriminatory act is not compliance, it is complacency. Many people were complacent in their compliance with the laws of slavery, their compliance with the denial of a woman's right to vote, and other discriminatory provisions founded in ignorance that have denied equal rights to individuals based on a characteristic. We, like the abolitionists and suffragettes, truly represent the population of disenfranchised citizens with disabilities and we will not stop until we gain true equality with the rights and responsibilities it entails. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that every person working under a Special Wage Certificate chooses to do so. There is no real choice when the options are to work at subminimum wages or to not work at all. Others assert that workers with disabilities choose to work at subminimum wages in order to maintain their public benefits. This is a sad commentary on their belief in our capacity and desire to be fully participating citizens. Provide the proper training and supports and people with disabilities will demonstrate the capacity for competitive employment and choose to work at the federal minimum wage or higher. Eliminate access barriers and Create real opportunities for competitive employment and people with disabilities will choose to be beneficial participating members of society rather than beneficiaries. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that the severity of their disability precludes these workers from pursuing other employment options. This statement has been proven to be false time and time again. There are many examples of individuals with significant disabilities that the workshops felt they could not employ that have gone on to secure competitive employment. However, hundreds of thousands of other individuals have received similar unemployable designations from entities lacking the expertise to provide proper training and support. As long as it is legal and profitable, these otherwise employable individuals with disabilities will continue to serve as the cash cows for employers that do not believe in their capacity, condemning them to a life-time of subminimum wage employment. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that people with disabilities lack the capacity for competitive employment. They are joined by other service providers that have learned to profit on this perspective. We assert that any entity that makes this assertion lacks the expertise to provide quality training and employment services to people with disabilities. We are joined by other organizations of people with disabilities that wish to shift to an enlighten paradigm where all people with disabilities are recognized as competitive productive employees. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill asserts that hundreds of thousands of individuals will lose access to paid work experience. It is true that there are over 300,000 people documented as being paid under the Section 14(c) Special Wage Certificate. However, it is either ridiculous or enlightening to state that the elimination of the certificate will result in hundreds of thousands of individuals losing access to paid work experience. People with disabilities who are being paid pennies per hour do not have jobs. They cannot lose what they do not have. Effort should be focused on finding them real jobs that pay real wages, or focused on training them for such jobs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Goodwill states that the workers with disabilities are not regular employees of Goodwill. This is a philosophical statement that is a true reflection of their opinion of their employees with disabilities. They attempt to justify it by stating the workers with disabilities are not held to a particular productivity standard, when in fact, the workers with disabilities are the only employees that are truly held to a productivity standard. Section 14(c) requires time studies, productivity assessments, and related documentation to justify the payment of commensurate wages. It is a flawed process that places an undue burden on workers with disabilities. It would be interesting to see how the nondisabled Goodwill employees would fair under the same standards and what compensation they would receive based on their productivity. For example, what if Goodwill executives and management were paid a commensurate wage based on the number of employees they assist in obtaining competitive intergraded employment. If we take into consideration the “re-work” of all the individuals they are unable to assist. The managers and executives would receive subminimum wages. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>Overall, Goodwill asserts that people with disabilities would be unemployable if not for the Section 14(c) provision. This is simply false. Many people with all types of disabilities, when provided the proper training and supports, obtain and maintain competitive integrated employment every day. If Goodwill feels these individuals are unable to be productive employees, despite the “quality” employment services Goodwill provides, they should not be in the business of providing employment services for this population. Let those organizations who believe in the capacity of people with disabilities speak for those with disabilities. Let those service providers that have the talent and expertise to provide quality employment opportunities for people with disabilities be responsible for providing quality employment services. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:120%;background:#151B54'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:white'>We refute Goodwill's assertions, and make our own assertion that the financial benefit to the employer outweighs Goodwill's commitment to workers with disabilities. Goodwill receives public and philanthropic dollars because the public believes they do “good work” for people with disabilities. However, these substantial proceeds are being used to support a business model where executives are compensated at higher than industry rates on the backs of workers with disabilities being paid pennies per hour. In any other context, people raising their standard of life while taking advantage of others would be considered exploitation. Why, in the case of workers with disabilities, is this considered an “opportunity to feel valued and fulfilled through meaningful employment?” If the revenue is generated on behalf of people with disabilities, then people with disabilities should benefit. Not through glorified daycare veiled in compassion, but through the provision of real training and support services that lead to competitive integrated employment. Let Goodwill refute that. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Mr. Anil Lewis, M.P.A.<br>Director of Strategic Communications</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>“Eliminating Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities” <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.nfb.org/fairwages" title="http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Fair_Wages_For_Workers_With_Disabilities.asp">http://www.nfb.org/fairwages</a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND<br>200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place<br>Baltimore, Maryland 21230</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>(410) 659-9314 ext. 2374 (Voice)</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>(410) 685-5653 (FAX)<br>Email: <a href="mailto:alewis@nfb.org">alewis@nfb.org</a><br>Web: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>