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

[Freeh, Jessica]

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.







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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.




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