[Nfbsatx] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] U.S. Representatives Stearns and Bishop Introduce Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act

[Jose Martinez]

A large step has been taken!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
Date: Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:44:18 -0500
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] U.S. Representatives Stearns and Bishop
Introduce Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org




U.S. Representatives Stearns and Bishop Introduce
Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act




National Federation of the Blind Commends Action



Washington, D.C. (October 4, 2011): Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
and Congressman Tim Bishop (D-NY) today introduced the Fair Wages for
Workers with Disabilities Act of 2011 (H.R. 3086).  The bill would
phase out Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which
allows employers holding special wage certificates to pay their
workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: "The Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act is a
long-overdue effort to correct an injustice written into a law meant
to protect all American workers from abuse and exploitation.  Workers
with disabilities were excluded from the protections of the Fair
Labor Standards Act because of the false belief that we cannot be as
productive as Americans without disabilities.  Courage and creativity
are required to replace the misguided benevolence that has
historically shaped policies toward people with disabilities with
real opportunity for our equal employment and full participation in
the workplace.  We applaud Representatives Stearns and Bishop and we
hope that a significant majority of their colleagues possess the
courage and creativity to end over seventy years of exploitation of
people with disabilities."



"Simple fairness and decency require that workers with disabilities
receive equal pay for equal work," said Congressman Stearns.  "I am
asking all of my colleagues to join me in this historic effort to end
wage discrimination against workers with disabilities once and for all."



"Ensuring that Americans with disabilities receive equal pay for
equal work is more than a matter of basic fairness, it's a
long-overdue acknowledgement of the value disabled Americans
contribute to our workplaces every day," said Congressman Tim
Bishop.  "I hope all of my colleagues will support this bipartisan
effort to correct over seventy years of injustice."



For more information about the Fair Wages for Workers with
Disabilities Act and the National Federation of the Blind, please
visit <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.







###




About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
people in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's
blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in
the United States for the blind led by the blind.