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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen@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 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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