[Ohio-talk] Talking Points for House Bill 394

[Eric Duffy]

On Friday,  I put out a list of members of the Insurance Committee in the Ohio House of Representatives. 

Here is a brief set of talking points that you can use when making contacts concerning House Bill 394.  Start turning up the pressure now. Make my job of educating the committee unnecessary  by Wednesday. 
70 to 80 percent of working age blind people in Ohio are currently unemployed. Many of those who are employed are not working at a level commensurate with their skills, abilities and talents. 
These facts alone put the working blind at a great economic disadvantage. 

We are not in a position to find employment quickly after loosing a job.  The bill greatly expands the definition of “just-cause” firing, meaning it will be difficult for many workers to show that they are entitled to benefits. The bill would keep workers from getting benefits if they violated the terms of their employee handbook, regardless of employee notice or whether those work rules are serious or silly.  If we are even aware that an employee handbook exists  it is often inaccessible. If a blind person looses a job due to an employers failure to provide a  reasonable accommodation under the proposed legislation he or she would not be able to rely on the minimal subsidy currently available under Ohio's unemployment compensation law.

Finally, when Social Security benefits and unemployment compensation  are combined the combination does not provide for an adequate standard of living.  Loosing unemployment compensation in order to apply for or receive Social Security Benefits will place another hardship on the blind. The blind and those with other disabilities will be hurt most by the proposed legislation.