Emily F. Keller: Journalist

Employment Remains Stagnant for People with Disabilities

    One million Americans with disabilities are looking for a job and can’t find one according to new data from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

    Statistics show that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities increased slightly from August 2010 to August 2011 but declined for people without a disability. The total unemployment rate for people with disabilities is now nearly double that of the nondisabled population, according to the DOL data.

Gov. Cuomo Questions Nonprofits on Executive Pay

    Governor Andrew Cuomo has formed a task force to seek data from nonprofits on the compensation they provide to executives and board members.

    The Governor’s Task Force on Not-For-Profit Entities is requesting information on executive pay, the reasons the organizations consider themselves nonprofits and whether the boards believe that any of the executive compensation should be recouped.

    Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, is the chair of the task force. “Our task force is conducting a top-to-bottom review, not only to audit current compensation levels, but also make recommendations for future rules to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to serve and support the people of this state, not pay for excessive salaries and compensation,” Lawsky wrote in a letter to nonprofits dated August 25.

Real Estate Developer Settles Building Access Lawsuit

    The owner and developer of a luxury apartment building on the Upper West Side will be paying thousands of dollars to residents with disabilities following the legal settlement of a federal civil rights lawsuit.

    U.S. District Judge Richard Berman has ruled that L & M 93rd Street LLC and Costas Kondylis & Partners LLP Architects prohibited access for people with disabilities in their building, The Melar. Neither company could be reached for comment.

Paterson and Blind Foundation Advocate for Fair Wages

    Former Gov. David Paterson and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) are calling for the removal of a clause in the federal Workforce Investment Act that would allow employers to pay people with disabilities a subminimum wage for job training.

    The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP Committee) was scheduled to vote on renewal of the act on August 3 but that vote has been postponed indefinitely. The committee’s vote on the Combating Autism Act, which is scheduled to expire Sept. 30, was postponed until Sept. 7.

Student Battles Education Department Over Bullying

    A judge has ruled that a lawsuit by a New York City student seeking private school tuition funding after being bullied in public school for having a disability will go forward.

    The student, known as L.K., charged that repeated bullying at school affected her ability to earn an education and that her school was aware of the situation and did nothing about it. The plaintiff said the school showed “deliberate indifference” to the situation, which is prohibited by Title IX, according to a summary of the case.

Federal Communications Commission Releases 911 Accessibility Report

    The Emergency Access Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released the results of a national survey about 911 technology for people with disabilities.

    The survey was conducted in April in May. That data was based on more than 3,000 completed surveys and 9,000 partially fill out questionnaires.

Care Organization Replaces CEO Amidst Controversy

    A longtime leader of the Young Adult Institute (YAI) Network serving people with developmental disabilities has left the organization for reasons that remain unclear.

    Dr. Philip Levy had worked at YAI for forty years. He became president in 1999 and chief executive officer (CEO) in July 2009, taking the place of his brother Joel Levy who retired as CEO the month before and stayed on as a consultant.

Jerry Lewis Leaves Muscular Dystrophy Telethon

    Jerry Lewis, the comedian and longtime head of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) telethon, will no longer be the host or chairman of the event.

    The MDA announced Lewis’s retirement in an August 3 press release saying, “Jerry Lewis has completed his run as its national chairman.”

    R. Rodney Howell, chairman of the association’s board of directors said, “Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we’re forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA. We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman and he will not be appearing on the telethon.”

Autism Organization Supports Parents and Care Givers

    Brooklyn parents of children with autism held a press conference with local representatives August 11 to extend their support for the organization My Time Inc.  

    The advocates gathered at Brooklyn Borough Hall to offer praise for the organization whose mission is to support, educate, empower, enlighten and uplift parents and caregivers of children with autism and developmental disabilities.

    The organization offers resources to parents and caregivers and also prides itself on providing parents with opportunities for stress relief from the difficulties of care taking. Programs include parent-to-parent mentoring, support groups, social events and activities for children. The services are free and donations are accepted.

United Nations Holds Fourth Annual Convention Conference

    The United Nations (UN) held its fourth annual conference to discuss the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

    The CRPD is a human rights treaty establishing international legal standards for governments and international governmental organizations to promote equal rights for people with disabilities. The CRPD addresses issues such as health, gender equality, education, international cooperation and standard of living.