LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
***** GENERAL LETTER (224 words)
This letter can be sent to any publication that has not yet reported on any issues related to vocational services.
Dear Editor:
Skill development centers such as [NAME] provide vital employment opportunities to thousands of Pennsylvanians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Here, they can work at their own pace in a place that’s consistent with their strengths, needs, and abilities.
For some, these jobs are temporary as a person explores the world of work, develops job skills, or identifies his or her interests and talents. For others, especially those with significant disabilitiesthat may require close on-the-job supervision, the opportunity to work in a skill development center may be a long-termemployment setting given their capacities and need for support services.
Recently, a few advocates have spoken critically of these centers, focusing on the fact that some severely disabled workers earn skill-based wages that may be less than those paid to their co-workers. These advocates want wages equalized. It sounds reasonable; but in truth, the consequences could be devastating for those in need.
Without skill-based wages, centers like ours couldn’t finance services for disabled workers. Without centers, these individuals would have limited or no opportunities to work, forcing them to stay at home, enter specialized care facilities (if space is available), or engage in unproductive and unsatisfactory activities. No one wants that.
Our work is to ensure that every individual, especially those with disabilities, enjoys the benefits of employment –self-sufficiency, achievement, purpose, and pride.
SINCERELY,
***** RESPONSE LETTER (223 words)
This letter should be sent to any publication that has written a story about vocational services and includes advocates criticism about wages.
Dear Editor:
It’s clear by the recent story (“Newspaper article headline here,” Feb. 20) that many citizens don’t fully understand the benefits that skill development centers provide to Pennsylvanians with intellectual anddevelopmental disabilities.
All of us, including those with disabilities, should enjoy every opportunity to pursue careers, participate in the workforce, and engage actively in the marketplace. But eachperson with a disability is unique, with different strengths, priorities, needs, abilities, and capabilities so options matter. Skill-based wages allow us to give everyone the opportunity to work.
Eliminating or phasing out skill-based wages would result in many individuals with significant disabilities receiving no pay whatsoever, instead of a skills-based wage, and would deny them the tangible and intangible benefits of work along with crucial social interaction.
Our center simply wouldn’t be able to finance services for disabled workers, some of whom require one-on-one supervision onthejob, if all workers were paid the same wage despite their level of ability. Without opportunities the center provides, these individuals would have limited or no opportunities to work, forcing them to stay at home or enter specialized care facilities (if space is available).
This is an important issue, but it is by no means simple and the unintended consequences could deny thousands of Pennsylvanians the dignity, self-esteem, sense of accomplishment, and pride they currently enjoy from a day at work.
SINCERELY,