[il-talk] Transformation to Competitive Employment Act fact sheet

[Robert Hansen]

This looks good thanks for sending this out.

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen

On Wed, Mar 13, 2019, 8:13 AM Marilyn Green via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Greetings fellow federationists,
>
> I am pleased to report that we have a fact sheet for HR 873/S 260, the
> Transformation to Competitive Employment Act. For your convenience, the
> fact sheet is attached to this e-mail, available on Newsline and below my
> e-mail signature.
>
> Please reach out with questions about how we can build co-sponsorship of
> this bill in Illinois.
>
> Marilyn
>
> TRANSFORMATION TO COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT ACT (H.R. 873/S. 260)
>
> Promote competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.
>
> Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to
> discriminate against people with disabilities. Passed in 1938, Section
> 14(c)   authorizes employers to pay workers with disabilities subminimum
> wages while they perform mundane tasks that do not transfer into skills
> necessary to transition into other employment options. This law only
> reinforces the stigmatic misconception that people with disabilities are
> less capable and creates an artificial barrier to future employment
> opportunities.
> The misconception that the elimination of 14(c) will displace workers with
> disabilities is based on speculation and rhetoric. A growing number of
> employers have already stopped relying on Section 14(c) and have
> voluntarily withdrawn their certificates. In 2011, 420,000 people with
> disabilities were paid subminimum wages under the 14(c) program.  Today,
> only 157,157 people with disabilities continue to receive subminimum
> wages.   During that same time period (2011-2017) the employment rate for
> people with disabilities has steadily increased every year from 33.4
> percent to 37.3 percent.
> Bipartisan consensus supports the phase out of Section 14(c). The
> Republican and Democratic parties’ 2016 platforms both called for an end to
> subminimum wages for people with disabilities.  In 2016, a committee tasked
> by Congress to increase employment opportunities for people with
> disabilities also recommended the phase-out of Section 14(c).  In addition,
> in an October 2018 report the National Council on Disability, an
> independent federal agency charged with advising Congress, recommended “the
> phase out of Section 14(c).”
> The Transformation to Competitive Employment Act:
> Discontinues the issuance of new Special Wage Certificates. The Secretary
> of Labor will no longer issue Special Wage Certificates to new applicants.
>
> Creates a grant program for states and individual 14(c) certificate
> holders to assist with their transition to competitive, integrated
> employment. This grant program will be available to all states and
> individual 14(c) certificate holders who transition their business models
> to support competitive, integrated employment for individuals with
> disabilities. States that receive grants must establish an advisory
> committee that includes employers, organizations specializing in employment
> for individuals with disabilities, Medicaid agencies, AbilityOne
> contractors, individuals with disabilities, and vocational rehabilitation
> agencies.
>
> Creates a technical assistance center to support all 14(c) holders in
> their transition to competitive integrated employment. Under the Department
> of Labor, the technical assistance center will disseminate information
> about best practices to facilitate transition of entities to competitive,
> integrated employment.
>
> Requires reporting and evaluation of the progress of creating and
> expanding support for workers with disabilities. States and 14(c)
> certificate holders will be required to report on their grant activities,
> evaluate changes in employment for individuals with disabilities, report
> average wage information, and evaluate employer actions taken to comply
> with the phase out of 14(c).
>
> Sunsets Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Six years after
> enactment of the TCE Act, employers will no longer be permitted to pay
> workers with disabilities subminimum wages.
>
> REMOVE ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
>
> COSPONSOR THE TRANSFORMATION TO COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT ACT
>
> To cosponsor H.R. 873 in the House of Representatives, contact:
> Kim Knackstedt, Disability and Education Policy Adviser, House Committee
> on Education and Labor, Phone: 202-225-3725, Email:
> Kimberly.knackstedt at mail.house.gov
> or
> Matt Neighbors, Legislative Counsel for Representative Cathy McMorris
> Rodgers (R-WA)
> Phone: 202-225-2006, Email: Matt.Neighbors at mail.house.gov.
>
> To cosponsor S. 260 in the Senate, contact:
> Michael Gamel-McCormick, Disability Policy Director, Senate Special
> Committee on Aging
> Phone: 202-224-0185, Email: michael_gamel-mccormick at aging.senate.gov
>
> For more information on TCE, contact:
> Kimie Eacobacci, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the
> Blind
> Phone: 410-659-9314, Extension 2441, Email: KEacobacci at nfb.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
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