<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 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Source Sans Pro";}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
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.p1, li.p1, div.p1
{mso-style-name:p1;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:7.5pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.s1
{mso-style-name:s1;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle22
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle25
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle26
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle27
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle28
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle29
{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=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>Please circulate the following information as widely as appropriate. Attached to this message is a flyer about this event, along with a comprehensive list of Florida companies paying subminimum wages and the number of employees who receive less than the minimum wage. If you receive this message without the attached information, please send a message to<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>Merry Schoch, LCSW<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'><a href="mailto:MerryS@verizon.net">MerryS@verizon.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>(813) 625-1850 <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>Do you know<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>$ Nearly 250,000 disabled workers legally earn less than the minimum wage<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>$ 78 employers in Florida legally pay their disabled workers less than the minimum wage<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>$ 6502 Disabled workers in Florida are earning less than the minimum wage <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>$ 10 employers in the Tampa Bay area legally pay their disabled workers less than the minimum wage <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>$ 793 disabled workers in the Tampa Bay area earn less than the minimum wage<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>When the Fair Labor Standards Act passed in 1938, it included a revolutionary civil rights protection: a minimum wage. American workers could no longer be exploited for their hard work – with one huge exception. Section 14(c) of the Act included an exemption allowing some workers, people with disabilities, to be paid less than minimum wage.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=p1><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>This provision was originally designed to persuade employers to hire people with disabilities and open up opportunities. Instead, people with disabilities were often employed in “sheltered workshops,” segregated workplaces away from their communities, earning sub-minimum wage. 78 years later, 14(c) remains in effect.</span></span><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=p1><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>In 2016, nearly 250,000 people were legally paid less than the minimum wage, on average, less than $2.00 per hour with some earning only pennies per hour. You can help stop the exploitation of disabled workers!</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=p1><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=p1 style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=s1><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Source Sans Pro";color:black'>On Saturday, January 21 at 1:00 pm., The National Federation of the Blind of Florida will screen “Bottom Dollars”, an hour-long documentary that exposes the exploitation of people with disabilities through personal stories and expert interviews. It also presents clear employment alternatives with competitive wages and community inclusion. This screening will be held at the John F. Germany Library auditorium, located at 900 N. Ashley Street in Tampa. Light refreshments will be served and the NFB will conduct an open Discussion and question & answer session after the screening, along with information about how you can make a difference for our disabled community. For more information about this screening or about 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, please contact Merry Schoch at 813-625-1850 or email her at <<a href="mailto:merrys@verizon.net">merrys@verizon.net</a>></span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>