[Nfbmo] Barriers to Blind Employment

[Gene Coulter]

I may not say this very wellbut have two examples in my life that maybe 
worth sharing.
As far as the point about being willing to move. It can be very tough to 
leave a situation you are familiar with if the new opportunity  is marginal. 
In 1983 I graduated from vending training and the only facilities available 
paid less than the minimum wage therefore not worth moving halfway across 
the state. Finally, the Bureau for the Blind offerred me a temporary 
location in Jefferson City so  we picked up and moved from Columbia to 
Jefferson City only to have the Bureau decide to  discontinue the facility 
six weeks after we moved.
In the other instance if I had been offerred my job ten years later with FSD 
there would have been no incentive other than pride to go to work. In 1995 
we figured out that I was working for a net income of $1.44 an hour after 
subtracting  the amount I would get on SSDI for myself and my kids and by 
the time you added cab fares it was even less.  Pride kept me there and also 
the knowledge  that dependents SSDI would end someday.
Since I retired last November I have had a internal conflict about returning 
to work. The earnings cliff is a great barrier along with my comfort level 
of being home. We are so settled in Columbia at this stage of our live and I 
know it is unlikely I’d find a job paying less than $1,690.00 a month  that 
I would be happy in.
Hope this helps in the conversation
Gene


From: Gary Wunder
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 3:30 PM
To: 'NFB of Missouri Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] Barriers to Blind Employment

Here are the things I've observed and heard. We need to get solid
information from those who are unemployed and not rely much on second-hand
accounts such as the one I am about to give.

1. Lack of good training in assistive technology--there is more to using
Jaws or WindowEyes than arrow and tab keys.

2. Some programs, internet or otherwise, will not talk, regardless ones
level of competence with screen-reading software. This eliminates jobs that
capable blind people could do.

3. Some of us place restrictions on potential employment that we might not
place on it were we not already receiving minimal incomes: I will not ride
the bus an hour each way; I cannot move to a different city because this is
where my friends live; I do not want to live in a city, even though I know
there are no jobs in my community and no transportation for me to get to
another.

4. I am afraid. School I understand, but what would it be like to work in an
office and have to learn the location of things, learn the names of new
people, and figure out how to make accommodations when something changes.

5. I am stuck where I am. It has been ten years since I had to get up in the
morning and meet a schedule. At one level I think I can do it, but at
another I'm scaredd.

6. The earnings cliff means that, no matter how much I want to work,
economically it just doesn't make sense.


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of James Moynihan
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 10:36 AM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
Subject: [Nfbmo] Barriers to Blind Employment

Fellow Federationists

The rate of unemployment for the blind is between %70 and %80.  The
Employment Research Committee (ERC) is working on identifying the barriers
to employment of the blind and possible solutions.  Pleas state the barriers
that you believe contribute to blind unemployment and possible solutions.
Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Cordially,

Jim Moynihan

ERC Chair
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