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<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ALewis@nfb.org
href="mailto:ALewis@nfb.org">Lewis, Anil</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 13, 2012 1:36 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=carjar82@gmail.com
href="mailto:carjar82@gmail.com">Carl Jarvis</A> ; <A title=Daniel.Frye@ed.gov
href="mailto:Daniel.Frye@ed.gov">Frye, Daniel</A> ; <A title=nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org">NFBof Washington Talk Mailing List</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=Emily.Feder@ed.gov
href="mailto:Emily.Feder@ed.gov">Feder, Emily</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Chapter-presidents] [nfbwatlk] SUB MINIMUM
WAGE</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">
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<P class=MsoNormal>Please post the following thread to appropriate
listservs.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>We can set an expectation of full participation, or we can
continue to feed the fallacy of incapacity. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>It is the ignorance of the capacity of people with
disabilities to be productive employees that perpetuates the existence of
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, a law that denies the guarantee
of a federal minimum wage to workers with disabilities. Moreover, it is
frustrating to find that a few individuals with disabilities are reluctant to
support our efforts to repeal this unfair, discriminatory, immoral
provision. Some have become so institutionalized that they don’t recognize
their own capacity. It was not too long ago that most of us were subjected
to society’s low expectations, with limited opportunities to secure competitive
employment in a career that meets our unique skills, interests, and
abilities. Others have become such elitists that they now exhibit the same
ignorance that denied them the opportunity to be fully participating
citizens. It is a sad irony that these individuals, who were formerly
denied training and employment opportunities because others felt they had no
capacity, now superimpose the same lack of capacity on others, denying them the
necessary training and support to obtain competitive employment.
<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>People with disabilities have the right and ability to work
in the same jobs earning the same wages as nondisabled workers. There are
many examples of individuals with significant disabilities who, when provided
with the proper training and support, have acquired a competitive job skill to
earn at least minimum wage. We should support this outcome for all workers
with disabilities. Very few, if any, disabled or nondisabled individuals
acquire a competitive job skill through performing menial tasks in sheltered,
segregated, subminimum-wage work environments. We must set higher
expectations and provide real training and support for all people to be fully
participating members of society. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is not
the compassionate offering of an opportunity for workers with disabilities to
experience the tangible and intangible benefits of work. Section 14(c) is
a poor public policy that actually harms people with disabilities, prohibiting
most from obtaining competitive, integrated employment by denying educational
and training opportunities. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"
class=MsoNormal>Approximately 33 percent of students in Kindergarten through
grade 12 have sheltered subminimum-wage workshops as their vocational
goal. We have given up on them before they have been provided a proper
education, and they will never reach their full potential—a generation
lost. <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"
class=MsoNormal>Approximately 95 percent of people employed in a
subminimum-wage work environment will never transition out of that
environment. They will never receive the necessary training and support
to be productive employees. They will remain beneficiaries of public
programs, never to become fully participating citizens.
<o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"
class=MsoNormal>Approximately 50 percent of workers with disabilities who are
employed under a special wage certificate earn less than half the federal
minimum wage. They are paid, supposedly based on their productivity, to
work in menial jobs determined by their employer, not jobs that meet their
strengths, interests, unique talents, or abilities. <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"
class=MsoNormal>Approximately 25 percent of workers with disabilities employed
under a special wage certificate earn less than $1 per hour. We have
documentation of a worker with a disability being paid 3 cents per hour.
This is an assertion, day after day, that they are not as good as everyone
else. <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"
class=MsoNormal>Research shows that many of the skills acquired in a
sheltered, subminimum-wage work environment must be unlearned in order for a
worker with a disability to obtain competitive integrated employment.
Subminimum wage skills only perpetuate subminimum wage employment. Real
training must be provided in order to obtain real work.
<o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>We applaud entities that help jobseekers with disabilities to
develop new skills, gain work experience, and find jobs through employment
planning, skills training, job search and development, placement, and ongoing
employment support. However, for far too long we have accepted the
subminimum wage employer's assertions of lack of capacity without asking the
necessary questions. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>How
many people does your organization transition into competitive integrated
employment? Can you provide me with the data? <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>Why
are there other organizations putting people with significant disabilities to
work at the minimum wage that sheltered workshops have refused?
<o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>Is a
person with a disability really choosing to work in a subminimum-wage work
environment when they have not received the proper training and support to
consider competitive employment, or when they have only been presented with a
choice between subminimum-wage employment and no employment at all?
<o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>If
you don’t believe that workers with disabilities can be productive, why are
you in the business of providing employment for workers with
disabilities? <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>Who
makes the decision for your organization that a person cannot be
productive? How do they make the decision? What training have they
received in the productive placement of a worker with a disability?
<o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>Why
have some workshops been able to successfully transition their business model
to one that pays federal minimum wages or more to their employees with
disabilities, without loss of jobs or revenue, and your organization
cannot? <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in" class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2" class=MsoNormal>If
your organization does not pay less than the minimum wage to workers with
disabilities, why should others be allowed to do so? <o:p></o:p></LI></UL>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>We should emphasize competitive, integrated employment as the
only outcome that can be considered real employment. Anything else is just
glorified daycare that sends false messages of incapacity to individuals who
could become competitively employed. H.R. 3086 removes the ability for
employers to legally pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities, setting
higher expectations for the employers, as well as, the employees.
<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Some will still state that there are those individuals who
are so severely disabled that they cannot be competitively employed. New
strategies evolve every day that prove this statement to be false.
However, if there are truly individuals too severely disabled to perform
competitive work, it is illogical and demoralizing to make a decision that
employment at subminimum wages (pennies per hour) is the best outcome for these
individuals. There is a better reality that we can provide for these
individuals other than having them toil away, day after day, for pennies an
hour. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Mr.
Anil Lewis, M.P.A.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d">“Eliminating Subminimum Wages
for People with Disabilities” <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A
title=http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Fair_Wages_For_Workers_With_Disabilities.asp
href="http://www.nfb.org/fairwages">http://www.nfb.org/fairwages</A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt">
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> Carl Jarvis
[mailto:carjar82@gmail.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 13, 2012 11:06
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Frye, Daniel; NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List<BR><B>Cc:</B>
Lewis, Anil; Feder, Emily<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [nfbwatlk] SUB MINIMUM
WAGE<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Dan,
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Well stated. Of course it
speaks to human nature not just to us blind people.
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We are quick to cry out when
our own rights are trampled, and we can expand our outrage to include those of
our own immediate circle, but we become indifferent and insensitive when others
are treated in the same manner. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I am reminded of the words of
</SPAN>pastor Martin Niemöller: <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.<BR>Then they came for the
Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.<BR>Then they
came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade
unionist.<BR>Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for
me. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">If each of us fails to stand up
and defend the human dignity of all people, who will stand up for us when the
heavy boot of discrimination is on our own neck?
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Are we really so shallow that
we place productivity ahead of human dignity? Why does a person have to
produce so many widgets an hour in order to deserve a basic living
standard? </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">What is it in our nature that
allows us to see the cold, harsh discrimination placed upon us blind people, and
then turn about and do exactly the same to others who we have lumped into a
category called, "The Less Fortunate". </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Do we no longer believe that a
government of the people should care for all of its people? When did we
turn on our own people and hitch our wagon to the coat tails of the wealthy,
pretending that we might one day be like them?
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Are we honestly willing to
abandon our brothers and sisters in the hope that we will receive a pat on the
head by the Master? </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Pretending that we are better
than some of our own members is not going to change how the public sees us as
blind people. The very brightest and most accomplished of us are measured
by the same Universal Blind Stereotype as is the most unaccomplished, unskilled
member of our blind community. It makes no difference to the World if I am
the most remarkable blind man or a blind man burdened by multiple
disabilities. Blind trumps all in the minds of the general
population. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">If we cut loose from some of
our members, it will not put us in a more favorable light in the eye of the
public, it will simply make us fewer in number.
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">And how dare we proclaim our
right to defend our equal status in the world, when we can't defend our own
brothers and sisters? What lesson are we passing along to future blind
people? Are we saying, "You must be blind by our standards if you are to
have our support"? </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">If, by demanding a decent
standard of living for our members working in work shops means that some of
those programs shut their doors and lay off their underpaid "workers", is that
reason enough to fight to keep the programs open? To allow them to
continue to oppress our brothers and sisters? For what purpose? At
what price? </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Would it not be better to fight
for funding for the underpaid folks and provide them an environment where they
can participate at whatever level they are able, and rejoice in their
achievements. </SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Carl
Jarvis</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: black 1.5pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 5pt 0in 5pt 3.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in">
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">----- Original
Message ----- <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <A
title=Daniel.Frye@ed.gov href="mailto:Daniel.Frye@ed.gov">Frye, Daniel</A>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">To:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <A
title=nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org href="mailto:nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org">NFB of Washington
Talk Mailing List</A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Cc:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <A
title=alewis@nfb.org href="mailto:alewis@nfb.org">alewis@nfb.org</A> ; <A
title=Emily.Feder@ed.gov href="mailto:Emily.Feder@ed.gov">Feder, Emily</A>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sent:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> Monday, August 13,
2012 5:37 AM<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Subject:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> RE: [nfbwatlk] SUB
MINIMUM WAGE<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal>Paul and Others In Sympathy With His Perspective:<BR><BR>I
could use this note to articulate all of the rationale, statistics, and
philosophy to generate arguments for why paying sub-minimum wages to disabled
people, while not having the same standard and policy for abled-body folks, is
wrong. But I won't do this. Instead, I'll simply observe that I always find
myself saddened and perplexed by blind people who can accept as a matter of
policy that a general practice that treats our community differently from the
majority is acceptable. If the inequity of treating disabled people
differently from non-disabled people doesn't intuitively resonate with one, I
hardly know what arguments I can advance that will get such people to see
reason and fairness. And then I just wilt in resignation when these same
"accomplished" blind folks, who justify discriminatory treatment by lamenting
the hardship to business caused by those who are not productive, run on with a
sense of self-righteous arrogance about their competence and capacity. How
about transferring some of that skill that you've developed, no doubt all on
your own, to demonstrating some compassion towards those who may not be
as successful as you. In all likelihood, you'll still get to feel superior to
these poor, unfortunate creatures. They'll likely never earn $50,000 per year,
so your worth will still stand unquestioned. We're advocating for a basic
minimum that everybody shares in common; this is not a campaign for something
as reasonable as an actual living wage or decent standard of living. Smile!
Numbers and nuanced arguments notwithstanding, this is simply a matter of
basic fairness and decency. So long as a minimum wage exists in law, let it
apply to us all. So long as every non-disabled person is not subject to a
productivity standard, let this practice apply universally. And, finally, if
these folks who are exempt from receiving the minimum wage would not otherwise
qualify as being employees, let's be honest, allow them to do the same thing,
and call their program what it is--education, recreation, or some other
euphemism to make people feel good about themselves.<BR><BR>Dan Frye
<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A
href="mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org">nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org</A> <A
href="mailto:[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org]">[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org]</A>
On Behalf Of Mike Freeman<BR>Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2012 5:50 PM<BR>To: 'NFB
of Washington Talk Mailing List'<BR>Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] SUB MINIMUM
WAGE<BR><BR>Paul:<BR><BR>(1) NO two workers have the same productivity. Yet
(at least in industry) workers doing a given job are supposed to be paid the
same wage whether they are powerhouses of productivity or are just barely
scraping by. Differences in worker output are usually made up in consequences
such as whether workers get bonuses, how quickly and whether they advance or
not, etc. Why should disabled workers of whatever talent be treated
differently?<BR><BR>(2) Most of the entities who are against paying minimum
wages for disabled workers get massive subsidies from either various
governmental agencies or from private donations. Presumably, all those who
"employ" these workers do so in order to make them feel productive or useful.
NO one gainsays such motives although I am often moved to wonder whether those
who prattle on about the dignity of work (even at subminimum wages) would
themselves deign to accept that reasoning as an excuse to be paid less than
the Federal minimum wage. All that might even be OK except that these
governmental and private agencies who "employ" these workers go on to sell the
products of their labor, thus benefiting twice from that labor without
compensatory benefits to the workers. And few of these agencies really train
disabled workers to go out into private industry. Think about it: if you're a
business, you *keep* your most productive workers. If you train people,
you<BR>*place* your most productive workers. You can't have it both ways.
Agencies can't have it both ways -- profiting from workers while paying them a
pittance. That's little more than slavery
IMO.<BR><BR>Mike<BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A
href="mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org">nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org</A> <A
href="mailto:[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org]">[mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces@nfbnet.org]</A>
On Behalf Of PUBLIC RADIO 113<BR>Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2012 12:16 PM<BR>To:
<A href="mailto:nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org">nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org</A><BR>Subject:
[nfbwatlk] SUB MINIMUM WAGE<BR><BR>Would you hire a driver who only drove 20
miles/hour on the freeway? If any of you reading this ever ran a
business of your own you would realize that you cannot afford to hire workers
who are less productive. When I began my medical transcription career in
Chicago I earned far less than minimum wage because I was paid on the basis of
the work I could turn out in an 8-hour day. It took a while for me to
get my typing speed up to 120 words/minute, but I did. After 30 years of
being an MT I retired in June.<BR>I made $50,000 last year WITH
BENEFITS. People who are so disabled that they cannot compete can always
use SSDI, low-cost housing, food stamps, etc., to supplement their
income. It should not be up to the employer to<BR>provide a subsidy for
disabled workers. Let's pay congress what
they're<BR>worth.<BR><BR>--<BR>Paul Van Dyck<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.publicradio113.weebly.com">www.publicradio113.weebly.com</A><BR><BR>OR<BR><BR><A
href="http://www.kboo.fm/soundsofawareness">www.kboo.fm/soundsofawareness</A><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nfbwatlk
mailing list<BR><A
href="mailto:nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org">nfbwatlk@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A
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