[Ohio-talk] My message to members of the Insurance Committee

[barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com]

Here is what I wrote from Eric’s talking points and then sent to members of the committee.

I am writing to you about HB 394. As a gainfully employed blind woman for over thirty years after I got my children in school, I know how lucky I was to find competitive, full-time employment. Over 70 percent of blind Ohioans are not as lucky, and many of those who do find work must settle for part-time work or jobs that are not challenging or satisfying. We face strong discrimination from employers who do not understand that we really can work competitively. All this means that blind people are already at a strong disadvantage in finding and keeping employment.

 

It is not easy to obtain a new job after losing one because it is always difficult for us to find jobs. This bill compounds our problems because it sharply expands the definition of “just-cause” firings. This means that blind people will find it much harder to demonstrate that they are entitled to receive benefits after losing a job. The bill would prevent workers from filing for benefits if they violate provisions of their employment handbooks. This may seem a reasonable provision, but consider that employers often fail to call attention to paperwork that they know is inaccessible to a blind worker. Even if one knows that a handbook exists, if one can’t read it and the employer does not review the provisions covered in it, how can one be expected to abide by the provisions of the handbook?

 

If a blind worker loses a job because the employer fails to provide a reasonable accommodation, under the proposed legislation such a worker would not be able to depend on the minimal subsidy available under Ohio’s unemployment compensation law.

 

When Social Security benefits are combined with unemployment compensation, the resulting income is already woefully inadequate. Having to give up unemployment compensation to apply for or receive Social Security places yet one more hardship on blind citizens. Blind and other disabled Ohioans will suffer unfairly and disproportionately under the repercussions of this bill.

 

I beg you not to lower the cost of unemployment compensation on the backs of blind and disabled Ohioans.

 

Very truly yours

Barbara Pierce

President Emerita

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
198 Kendal Drive

Oberlin, Ohio 44074

440-774-8077

Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com

 
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 zwant; blindness is not what holds you back.