[il-talk] Federal Legislation update-Transformation to Competitive Employment Act

[Starry Sky]

Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows public and private employers to obtain special certificates from the Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division that allow them to compensate workers with significant disabilities at rates below the current federal minimum wage based on the individual’s level of measured productivity.

But I need to better understand this bill.  I am not saying it is right to have different tiers of pay for people with disabilities but if places like Goodwill then has to pay equal wages, will they really increase the pay to people with disabilities or will they displace them for people without disabilities (or automation) for the line work?  Are there any legal or labor protections for those jobs?  That is the concern that I am struggling with and why I hope legislation includes addressing this concern and keeping track of the numbers.

-------- Original Message --------
From: Patti S Chang<mailto:pattischang at gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, April 11, 2019 11:22 AM CDT
Subject: RE: [il-talk] Federal Legislation update-Transformation to Competitive Employment Act
To: 'Nfb Of Illinois Mailing List'<mailto:il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: 'Starry Sky'<mailto:Starry_sky at live.com>

Have you seen our DEA bill? Please remember that most of these employers are
not mainstream which means that they are mostly hiring disabled people to
work assembly line and/or piecework but nondisabled people who get paid way
over minimum in management jobs. Good will is a great example of this.


Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.
Treasurer
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-307-6440
Pattischang at gmail.com<mailto:Pattischang at gmail.com>

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Starry Sky
via IL-Talk
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2019 11:04 AM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org<mailto:il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Starry Sky <Starry_sky at live.com><mailto:Starry_sky at live.com>
Subject: Re: [il-talk] Federal Legislation update-Transformation to
Competitive Employment Act

I agree that it is unacceptable to pay less to people with disabilities.
However, in looking at the bigger picture, I cannot help but wonder that if
employers have to choose, how often will that employer offer the position to
the person with the disability over the one "without"?  You could be as
qualified or more but the (inaccurate) perception still exists that it would
cost more and get less productivity.  It is difficult to legally prove (and
win in court) that is why you did not get the offer.  Did it become harder
to get or keep that job now?  Hopefully the legislation accounts for this
aspect and will ensure that that the number of people with disabilities
employed will increase not decrease.


------------------------------

Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2019 19:17:01 -0500
From: Marilyn Green
<marilynvgreen at gmail.com><mailto:marilynvgreen at gmail.com><mailto:marilynvgreen at gmail.com><mailto:marilynvgreen at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List
<il-talk at nfbnet.org><mailto:il-talk at nfbnet.org><mailto:il-talk at nfbnet.org><mailto:il-talk at nfbnet.org>,
        iabs-talk at nfbnet.org<mailto:iabs-talk at nfbnet.org><mailto:iabs-talk at nfbnet.org><mailto:iabs-talk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [il-talk] Federal Legislation update-Transformation to
        Competitive Employment Act


Greetings fellow federationists,

I am excited to report that Senator Tammy Duckworth has co-sponsored S 260,
Transformation to Competitive Employment Act. She is the first of our
Illinois federal legislators to support this important piece of legislation
that will permanently sunset section 14c of the Fair Labor Standards Act,
that allows the payment of subminimum wages to workers with disabilities.

Please send your e-mails, make your telephone calls and post to our social
media our sincerest thanks to Senator Duckworth for her support of this
initiative.

Marilyn Green
Federal Legislation


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