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Policy

Act Now to Break the Cycle of Poverty for SSI Recipients and End the Marriage Penalty!

Millions of low-income people with disabilities and older adults receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) each month. For these recipients, SSI is a vital source of income that pays for rent, food, transportation, and other living expenses. However, people who receive SSI are trapped in a cycle of enforced poverty. To receive SSI, an individual may have no more than $2,000 in savings at any given time. If a person works part-time or sporadically, their income plus SSI benefits may easily put them over the $2,000 asset limit. This disincentivizes working and saving money.  If two people who both receive SSI get married, they are not each allowed to have $2,000 in assets; they are only allowed to have $3,000 between them. This is known as the “marriage penalty,” because it prevents many couples who receive SSI from getting married. The extremely low asset limits prevent low-income people with disabilities and older adults from working, saving, and getting married.

The bipartisan SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would increase the SSI asset limits from $2,000 to $10,000 for unmarried individuals and eliminates the marriage penalty by allowing two SSI recipients to get married and have up to $20,000 in assets as a couple. The bill also requires asset limits to be adjusted yearly to keep up with the cost of living.

How can you help?

In our efforts to ensure that this bill passes through Congress, please contact your Senators and your Member of the House of Representatives to encourage them to sponsor the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act. Every call and every voice make a difference!

Call To Action: Congress needs to hear from you!

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (TCIEA) has been introduced. This bill aims to eliminate certificates that allow employers to pay individuals with disabilities below minimum wage. Over the next five years, we would see a significant shift towards fair wages for all individuals, regardless of their disability status. If passed, this legislation will provide grants and technical assistance to states and employers who currently pay their employees subminimum wage. With this support, businesses can transition their models to competitive, integrated employment, an important step towards creating a more equitable society.

How can you help?

In our efforts to ensure that this bill passes through Congress, please contact your Senators and your Member of the House of Representatives to encourage them to sponsor the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act. Every call and every voice make a difference!

Federal Policy Update: Your Voice Made A Difference

On February 6, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that it will retain the current American Community Survey (ACS) disability questions for 2025 and work closely with stakeholders in the disability community to ensure that future questions better account for the various types and levels of disability.

In October 2023, the Census Bureau had suggested modifying the questions about disability in the survey, which was likely to significantly undercount of the disability population.

In response to proposed changes, RespectAbility, alongside other disability organizations, asked for your help to tell the Census Bureau to stop the proposed changes and consult with the disability community. The Census Bureau received more than 12,000 public comments regarding the proposed changes to the ACS. Your voice made a difference! Thank you for your support!

Practical Advice for Engaging with State Legislators

closeup of two people in business clothes shaking hands. Text reads Practical Advice for Engaging with State LegislatorsWith legislatures around the country in full swing, you may be headed to your state capitol or statehouse soon. Effectively communicating with a state legislator to advocate for a piece of legislation involves careful planning, clear communication, and maintaining a professional demeanor. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate this process, from reaching out initially to following up. [continue reading…]

State Policy Update: Kansas Joins More Than a Dozen States in Phasing Out Subminimum Wage

On February 8, Kansas joined the ranks of 15 other states that have already abolished or are in the process of phasing out subminimum wages for individuals with disabilities.

RespectAbility is pleased and encouraged that a bipartisan, cross-section of states is moving to ensure that people with disabilities are earning real pay for real work. We look forward to working to continue this momentum in all 50 states.

Is your state onboard? Check out the map and list of states that have abolished or are currently phasing out subminimum wage for people with disabilities! [continue reading…]

Data Corner for February 2024

Monthly Employment Update for People with Disabilities

Data corner graphic for February 2024. 40.5% labor force participation rate for people with disabilities in January 2024, 77.3% for people without disabilities, 39.6% for people with disabilities in January 2023According to the latest National Trends In Disability Employment (nTIDE) report:

  • The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities grew from 39.6% in January 2023 to 40.5% in January 2024. This continues an upward trend we have observed throughout the past year and remains close to the all-time highs. Workers without disabilities increased their labor force participation rate from 76.8% in January 2023 to 77.3% in January 2024.
  • The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities rose from 36.7% in January 2023 to 37.8% in January 2024. For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio increased from 73.9% to 74.2%.

Unemployment Rate

According to the US Department of Labor (DOL) disability employment statistics, the unemployment rate of people without a disability rose slightly to 4% from 3.4% in the previous month, within the range of 3-5% deemed healthy by most economists. The unemployment rate amongst those with a disability is more than one and a half times higher at 6.5%.

State Policy Update for January 2024

State legislatures all over the United States are introducing new bills or continuing to pursue those that were left unfinished in 2023. RespectAbility is closely monitoring several bills at the state level. In Washington, SB 5616 aims to establish the Nothing About Us Without Us Act, while Colorado’s HB 24-1067 seeks to clarify that many caucuses and government meetings are not accessible to people with disabilities. Virginia’s HB 1165 is aimed at expanding the definitions in various laws to improve the lives of people with disabilities. RespectAbility is also in favor of California’s SB 483, a bill that would prohibit the use of prone restraints in schools.

RespectAbility is enthusiastic about engaging with these and other bills as the 2024 legislative cycle progresses. RespectAbility is also collaborating with other disability organizations to explore the possibility of establishing legislative disability caucuses in California, Colorado, and Nebraska.

Federal Policy Update for January 2024

RespectAbility Gets Down To Business On Our 2024 Federal Policy Priorities

RespectAbility’s policy staff is championing four pieces of legislation related to employment, voting accessibility, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and technology accessibility. They are advocating for the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (TCIEA), Accessible Voting Act (AVA), SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, and the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA). [continue reading…]

Data Corner for January 2024

According to the latest National Trends In Disability Employment (nTIDE) report:

  • The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities grew from 39.0% in December 2022 to 40.8% in December 2023. This continues an upward trend we have observed throughout the past year. Workers without disabilities increased their labor force participation rate from 76.9% in December 2022 to 77.3% in December 2023.
  • The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities rose from 37.0% in December 2022 to 37.9% in December 2023. For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio increased slightly from 74.4% to 74.6%.

[continue reading…]

Harmful Changes in the American Community Survey

RespectAbility and the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) have commented on proposed changes to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. These changes could under-count people with disabilities, affecting funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and vocational rehabilitation. CCD urges a pause to maintain data accuracy.

An accurate census process

It is important to ensure that research and data collection accurately reflect the number of Americans with disabilities. Misleading information could result in policymakers underestimating the true number of people affected, which could lead to insufficient funding for critical programs such as Medicaid and Social Security Disability Insurance. [continue reading…]

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