[nfbmi-talk] then why is he on nish board?

[joe harcz Comcast]

Elmer Cerano People with disabilities deserve good jobs | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com

 

Written by

 

Elmer Cerano is executive director of Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service Inc.

 

 

People with disabilities are drastically underrepresented in the workforce despite having marketable skills and an honest desire to work.

 

Current estimates indicate that more than 80 percent of people with disabilities in Michigan, and more than 70 percent nationwide, are unemployed.

 

Michigan’s rate of unemployment for people with disabilities is horrifying, especially since Michigan is the only state in the nation that guarantees mandatory

special education for students with disabilities through the age of 26 — well above the national mandate of providing special education through the age

of 21.

 

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

 

Raising awareness, however, is only the first step in creating meaningful policy reforms that will lead to full employment for people with disabilities.

When I say full employment, I am not talking about “made-work activities”, day programs or segregated work centers.

 

I am talking about new ways to increase productivity for all people with disabilities through unique job matching approaches and the proper use of technology

such as touch-screen monitors and picture icons and more automation. Such innovative efforts allow people with disabilities to work alongside people without

disabilities and to earn a prevailing, fair wage.

 

This year’s disability employment awareness theme of “Because We Are EQUAL to the Task” is a declaration that, with new innovations in job matching, people

with disabilities can be valuable assets in making local businesses and corporations profitable. People with disabilities are a vast untapped workforce

who want an opportunity to prove their abilities and to earn a fair wage and, much like their temporarily able-bodied peers, want to be a part of the economic

growth and prosperity of this state.

 

Despite recent strides in creating new community employment opportunities for people with disabilities, segregated work centers (”sheltered workshops”)

are still considered by some to be acceptable alternatives to gainful integrated community employment.

(Page 2 of 2)

 

Because of the antiquated 14(c) waiver to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it is still legal for people with disabilities to be paid below the federal

minimum wage. This waiver legally allows people with disabilities to be paid based on their levels of productivity — not a bad idea when first enacted

more than 60 years ago — but it fails to encourage job matches and technology that enhance productivity. It is time we look at doing a better job of matching

the person’s skills and interests to a job where their productivity can be maximized.

 

The next step for Michigan following the October employment awareness campaign is to study the successes of employment strategies currently under way at

places such as Meijer Inc. Their efforts to hire people with significant disabilities are evolving as a national model by creating a dynamic and inclusive

workforce where they work with each employee as an individual to provide a proper job fit, according to their abilities. Meijer is also a founding member

of a knowledge exchange group consisting of leaders from large retailers all over the country, which focuses on promoting best practices for hiring people

with significant disabilities.

 

In addition, we need to put forth and implement statewide policies which increase competitive, integrated employment in the community as the preferred outcome

for all people with disabilities. Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service, Inc. continues to advocate for increased numbers of people with disabilities

who earn competitive, prevailing wages in integrated settings located within the community but action in the form of concrete legislation promoting this

goal is long overdue.

 

Michigan’s unacceptable high rate of unemployment for people with disabilities can be corrected by innovative ideas in finding the best job match that maximizes

productivity and earnings for people with disabilities. Michigan’s 26 years of special education entitlement and efforts by Michigan Rehabilitation Services

must break with past patterns of lowered expectations of the abilities and the earning potential of people with disabilities.

 

Source:

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20131012/OPINION02/310120041/Elmer-Cerano-People-disabilities-deserve-good-jobs