[Nfbmt] National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of Legislation to Integrate Workers with Disabilities

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

From: Kuhnke, Kristian 

Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2015 2:17 PM
Subject: National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of
Legislation to Integrate Workers with Disabilities

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind 
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org
 

National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of Legislation to
Integrate Workers with Disabilities

 

Urges Passage of Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act

 
Baltimore, Maryland (August 6, 2015): The National Federation of the Blind
<https://nfb.org> , the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind
Americans, applauds the introduction of the Transitioning to Integrated and
Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act (S. 2001) by Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).
Senator Ayotte introduced this legislation to repeal Section 14(c) of the
Fair Labor Standards Act, in order to incentivize the transitioning of
workers with disabilities into integrated, meaningful employment, and to
phase out the discriminatory practice of paying workers with disabilities
pennies per hour. Companion legislation has already been introduced in the
House of Representatives by Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS) as H.R. 188
and has forty-one cosponsors.
 
"My home state of New Hampshire has been a leader in supporting and
empowering workers with disabilities, and recently became the first state in
the country to ban discriminatory wage practices that put workers with
disabilities at a disadvantage," Senator Ayotte said. "This legislation will
project New Hampshire's leadership on the issue throughout the country,
ensuring that workers with disabilities are treated equally and do not have
to work in an environment where their wages and expectations are lower than
those of workers without disabilities. Twenty-five years after enactment of
the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities are now
able to live quality lives and achieve their full potential.  Women and men
with disabilities also deserve the opportunity to participate in the
workforce and seek competitive, integrated, and meaningful employment on a
level equal to their peers who do not have a disability.  I'm grateful to
the National Federation of the Blind for their advocacy on this important
issue and their support of my legislation."
 
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind
<http://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind> , said: "The National
Federation of the Blind and our partners representing the fifty-five million
Americans with disabilities know that low expectations, not disability, are
the true barriers that prevent people with disabilities from living the
lives we want. We applaud Senator Ayotte for recognizing that current
segregated employment practices are based on over seventy years of
entrenched but false thinking about the capacity of people with
disabilities. We strongly urge her colleagues in both houses of the United
States Congress to support this legislation and embrace a future in which
the next generation of workers with disabilities, including my two young
daughters, enter the workforce without the discriminatory presumptions that
exist today and where these workers are able to achieve their full potential
in the workplace and beyond."
 
 

###

 
 
About the National Federation of the Blind
 
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

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