It is time to fight for Fair Wages for People with Disabilities, H.R. 3086.

It is time to fight for Fair Wages for People with Disabilities, H.R. 3086. ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

We need to mobilize and gain quick cosponsor support. Call and/or schedule meetings with your Member of Congress immediately and express your support for H.R. 3086, the Fair Wages for People with Disabilities Act of 2011. Our success is dependent on our efforts to respectfully educate all Members of Congress so that they understand the true employment capacity of people with disabilities. Many of our talking points are listed in the Findings section of the Fair Wages for People with Disabilities bill. The text of the bill can be found at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.3086:#. If you secure an opportunity to speak with the Member or the appropriate staffer, begin the education by sharing the following three points with them:

The Tools Exist for Competitive Employment of People with Disabilities. Most people still believe that people with disabilities cannot be competitively employed at or above the federal minimum wage. Rehabilitations services, employment strategies, and adaptive technologies make it possible for people with even the most significant disabilities to obtain employment at the federal minimum wage or higher.

It is Illogical for Doubters to Provide Training and/or Employment. For years, those entities that have doubted the capacity of people with disabilities to be competitively employed have been responsible for providing employment at subminimum wages. This is extremely backward logic. Employers that cannot provide the proper training and support for people with disabilities to obtain competitive employment at competitive wages should not be providing training or employment for people with disabilities.

Removing the Misconception of Incapacity Provides More Employment Opportunities. Employment of people with disabilities at subminimum wages supports the misperception that people with disabilities are not productive enough to earn competitive wages. This misperception is the largest barrier to the real employment of people with disabilities. By eliminating the legal contention that people with disabilities lack capacity for competitive employment, it is affirmed that when given the proper training, support, and opportunities, people with disabilities can be competitively employed in a variety of vocational environments at competitive wages.

We need you to schedule visits in your local districts immediately and to make your calls to the Member’s local and D.C. offices right now. If they are willing to cosponsor, refer them to the following staffers:

Office of Representative Cliff Stearns (Republican, Sponsor)

James Thomas, Legislative Director/O&I Policy Coordinator
Phone: (202) 225-5744


Office of Representative Tim Bishop (Democrat, Lead Cosponsor)

Joanna Sara, Senior Legislative Assistant
Phone: (202) 225-3826


After you have had your visit or made your call, please provide me with the following information:

Which Member of Congress?
Which State?
Who did you speak to?


Ask the question, “Will the Member cosponsor the Fair Wages for People with Disabilities legislation?” What was their response?

( ) I was only able to express my support.

( ) The Member would like to co-sponsor

( ) The Member needs to research the issue.

( ) The Member can not support this legislation.

( ) Other: Explain________________________________


Please contact me if you have any questions. Also, feel free to refer the staffers directly to me (my contact information is at the end of this e-mail).


We have been working toward this goal since the founding of our organization. The time is now for us to fight for Fair Wages for People with Disabilities, H.R. 3086.


Sincerely,

Anil

Mr. Anil Lewis, M.P.A.
Director of Strategic Communications

“Eliminating Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities”
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Fair_Wages_For_Workers_With_Disabilities.asp

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
(410) 659-9314 ext. 2374 (Voice)
(410) 685-5653 (Fax)
E-mail: alewis@nfb.org
Web: www.nfb.org




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