[Nfbc-info] Call to Action on Subminimum Wages

[Darian Smith]

Good Monday  morning to all,
 Just as I got off of the phone

On 6/27/11, Mary Willows <mwillows at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Dear California Federationists:
>
>
>
> It is time for us to show our strength in numbers by contacting Senator Tom
> Harkin, of Iowa, urging him to remove Section 511 from Title V of the
> Workforce
> Investment Act (WIA), which is part of the Rehabilitation Act.  The bill
> will be marked up and voted on June 29 (in just two days).
>
>
>
> The proposed language in Section 511 of Title V of the Rehabilitation Act
> states the process a Rehabilitation counselor would have to go through
> before referring a client to a subminimum wage work environment. The
> intent is to make it more difficult for clients to be steered toward
> subminimum wage
> employment. Unfortunately, the language opens a door to subminimum wage
> employment that did not previously exist. As a result of Section 511, if VR
> fails
> to provide a client with the proper training and support to become
> competitively employed, they will be encouraged to make a referral to a
> subminimum
> wage employer.
>
> The language states that, once placed in a subminimum wage work
> environment, the client should receive a review every six months.
> However, similar to WHD’s
> inability to enforce Section 14(c) of the FLSA, it will not be possible
> for VR to properly enforce this law, leaving even more individuals stuck
> in subminimum wage jobs.
>
>
>
> We need to let members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
> Labor, and Pension know that Section 511 of Title V of the Rehabilitation
> Act
> should be removed.
>
>
>
> At the present time, no California representatives serve on the committee so
> the best thing to do is to call the Chairman, Senator Tom Harkin and tell
> him or his Aide that we are calling upon him to remove Section 511 of Title
> V of the Rehabilitation Act from the Reauthorization of the Workforce
> Investment Act.
>
>
>
> Please call immediately.  (202) 224-3254
>
> Mary Willows, President
> National Federation of the Blind of California
> mwillows at sbcglobal.net
>
>
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-- 
Darian Smith

“My secret?  See it, and stay focused on it.”

— Shaquille O'Neal