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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></b></p><h1 align=center style='text-align:center'>Seattle Ends Subminimum Wages for Workers with Disabilities<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center'><b>National Federation of the Blind Commends Unanimous City Council Vote<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b>Baltimore, Maryland (April 3, 2018): Seattle’s city council unanimously voted yesterday to ban the practice of paying the blind and other workers with disabilities less than the city’s minimum wage. The National Federation of the Blind, which has led efforts to eliminate the practice at the local, state, and federal level (including in Seattle), commended the move.<br><br>“We appreciate the leadership demonstrated in Seattle by rejecting subminimum wages and, by extension, the underlying low expectations and misconceptions about the capacity of people with disabilities,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “Even as we continue to advocate for change in the United States Congress, we hope other cities and states will emulate what Seattle and the states of Alaska, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Vermont have done to promote fairness and equality for workers with disabilities. Congratulations to the National Federation of the Blind of Washington and its partners for achieving this victory for blind and otherwise disabled citizens of Seattle.”<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:center'><b>###<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b>About the National Federation of the Blind <br><br>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at <a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10712&qid=2195920">www.nfb.org</a>.<br><br>CONTACT:<br><br>Chris Danielsen<br><br>Director of Public Relations<br><br>National Federation of the Blind<br><br>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10713&qid=2195920">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></b></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=0><tr><td width=19 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td><td width=58 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10714&qid=2195920"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" alt="Facebook Logo"></span></a><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10714&qid=2195920"> </a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=54 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10715&qid=2195920"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-twitter-ms.png" alt="Twitter Logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=54 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10716&qid=2195920"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-instagram-ms.png" alt="Instagram Logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10717&qid=2195920"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=51 height=35 id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-youtube-ms.png" alt="YouTube Logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=54 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10718&qid=2195920"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 id="_x0000_i1029" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-email-ms.png" alt="Email Icon Image"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=54 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10719&qid=2195920"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 id="_x0000_i1030" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-donte-ms.png" alt="Donate to the NFB Icon."></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=19 style='width:12.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td></tr><tr><td width=367 colspan=8 style='width:96.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | (410) 659-9314 <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=367 colspan=8 style='width:96.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=8718&qid=2195920&h=8f8ba7ed8cac6ab1">Unsubscribe</a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=8718&qid=2195920&h=8f8ba7ed8cac6ab1">Opt Out</a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10720&qid=2195920">Sign up for email newsletter</a> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=367 colspan=8 style='width:96.0pt;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><br>200 East Wells Street<br>Baltimore, MD 21230<br>United States.. <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>