On September 17, The National Federation of the Blind issued a statement regarding a
PDF report from the United States Commission on Civil Rights entitled Subminimum Wages: Impacts on the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities
“Ever since our founding eighty years ago, the National Federation of the Blind has opposed the payment of subminimum wages to blind and disabled Americans under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We commend the September 17 report of the United States Commission on Civil Rights and applaud the Commission’s call for the end of the antiquated and discriminatory 14(c) program. While we will further review the report to assess its details and recommendations, the Commission’s work is a giant step toward eliminating the historic injustice of subminimum wages and creating true equality of opportunity for workers with disabilities. We urge the general public to actively join us in standing against this injustice and to work meaningfully toward its elimination from our local communities.”