Daily Archives: March 9, 2021

ONE of the hardest things to do is to argue counter to something you believe or have argued against.

That is what critical thinking is about, holding uncomfortable thoughts and seeing them through.

1

Last week, I looked at a study which showed how the minimum wage increases worked in the past.

So I thought I would counter with a few ideas on why far higher minimum wages could be beneficial and argue the opposite of what I said before.

Firstly, it would avoid welfare traps where a person receiving state supports gets trapped because by earning more they lose out on another benefit.

The area is complex, but at lower incomes the traps can be frequent and a higher minimum wage would help negate that.

Higher spending power in lower-income families would also be a good thing, it would ensure proper reward from work and increase wealth and the chance at home ownership.

If the minimum wage was 15 per hour, a working couple could in theory buy a house worth 240,000 - which, outside of cities, makes most of Ireland affordable under the regular lending rules.

With better incomes there would be less child poverty, lower rates of child and partner abuse and higher consumption as the effect of higher wages feeds through the economy.

There is a chance that some businesses would have to close because their main cost is labour - for instance, cleaning services.

But if the change was enacted across the country and all at once it could have a lower effect because all cleaners would have to use these prices (other than the black market which could in theory upend things).

There would be more taxes collected and lower spending on family supports because the market would provide this in greater numbers through higher wages.

Perhaps the best way to think of it is to consider minimum wages as the price for lacking more valuable skills.

The people who earn it typically swap their labour for the income, they dont have experience for high value added income.

That said, at 15 an hour they might be able to afford to work fewer hours and in that sense have better health outcomes as well as sufficient time to upskill even outside of working hours.

A higher minimum wage would lift a lot of people out of poverty.

Because many minimum wage workers are from middle and upper class households (most of the people on minimum wage are not the sole earner in a house and generally you dont have two people on minimum wage as a couple) you would see a good increase in taxes at levels beyond minimum wage earnings.

In America, the congressional budget office found that a $15 minimum wage could cost them well over 1,000,000 jobs but that it would raise the income of 27,000,000 workers and reduce poverty for over a million people.

So that tends to be the scary bit, it could do good but then lots of people would go from minimum wage to no-wage.

In a sense the message would change to minimum wage is so good you should go work for it, you want money? Get a job! - which is a far more positive prospect than trying to resolve poverty with welfare.

You could even end welfare for people capable of working by subsidising businesses to hire them for a higher minimum wage and in return have everybody contributing work to the country.

Workfare is a positive idea and at 15 an hour people would get behind it.

So, lots to consider. Any thought you have likely has a counterpoint if its something in the area of policy, so now try it yourself. Think the opposite way on something and see how you get on.

THERE was some interesting research in the UK this week published by Prudential showing seven per cent of people whose parents have a financial adviser also use them, citing feeling relaxed and relieved they can be trusted as a reason.

Despite keeping financial affairs in the family, almost half (49 per cent) admit they prefer to pay for advice separately.

What makes people look for advice? Usually, its life events, an unexpected windfall, inheritance and preparing for retirement are key prompters for seeking financial advice.

However, this differs among generations and this is something I see as an advisor.

If you stick around for long enough you do naturally get asked questions about your clients children who grow up.

Those children will usually look at how their parents did and where they got advice and consider talking to the same person or company.

Intergenerational advice is an important area for many parents because theyre often motivated by wanting to help their children while they are still alive and planning for that is important.

You can and should get financial advice regularly in the same way you get health advice the research shows people who do end up better off.

SINN FEIN SHOW IS STEALING A MARCH

LAST week I saw there was a Sinn Fein online event about housing and given my interest in the area I clicked the Facebook link and watched it.

While I often have huge reservations about Sinn Fein from a policy perspective, I cant fault their social media efforts at all.

It was a well run conference, Mary Lou was a good host, she interacted with people asking questions and afterwards the TDs made sure to reply to people who had left comments and they outlined their policies in a clear and easy way.

This is something that applies to many walks of life - politics, businesses or groups that are better at direct engagement with whoever they are hoping to influence will do better.

The cost of this kind of interaction is near zero (given TDs are already paid for their time anyway).

I can see why Sinn Fein are doing so well with younger voters, what I cant understand is why other political parties arent doing the same.

TUBMAN WAS AN ICON OF COURAGE

ARAMINTA Ross, also known as Harriet Tubman, was an amazing American woman, born into slavery in 1822.

She escaped slavery and went on 13 missions to free other slaves, liberating 70 more people using what was known as the underground railroad - which was a network of back roads and safe houses.

Her life as a slave wasnt easy, from a young age she was regularly beaten and she carried the scars for the rest of her life.

Her famous line was that she believed she had a right to liberty or death and if she couldnt have one shed have the other.

Tubman served as a scout for the Union Army during the civil war, during that time she guided the raid at the Combahee Ferry which freed 700 slaves, and later became an activist in womens suffrage.

She was down in the heart of the problem risking everything to elicit change.

Tubman remains an icon of courage and persistence in order to obtain freedom and her message is as important today as it was then.

THIS week we are going to look a little differently at something you probably do very regularly.

Its watching TV. Personally, I try to watch as little TV as possible, its how I get a lot done, but I do fall prey to some shows.

At the moment Im glued to one called Superstore, a great comedy series.

The money tip is this, do you have a cable subscription but tend to like TV series?

Then consider cancelling expensive satellite or cable and just use Netflix which starts at 7.99 a month.

Cable or satellite subscriptions tend to start at about 25 a month and the 17 difference is reflected in what you get.

But equally, if you dont use the suite of whats on offer then whats the point?

It wont suit everybody but you can get news online and smart TVs have apps for all manner of shows.

Breaking

HURT MAJESTY'Saddened' Queen responds to Meg's race claims saying 'recollections may vary'

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question

I HEARD you talking about artificial intelligence recently on the radio and how we really should start to think about the ethics of it - surely machines dont have ethics, do they?

Answer

Not for now they dont, but in the not-to-distant future, what would happen if a machine became so capable that it could start to think for itself?

Would that constitute consciousness? Would turning it off or shutting it down be cruel?

The advancements in technology are happening so rapidly that these kinds of ethical questions are likely far closer than we think they are!

Question

IS now a good time to invest in the stock market? You said a few weeks ago that we might be in a dangerous place I certainly dont want to lose all my money.

Answer

I have some good news for you about investing right now, you arent going to lose all of your money because you arent going to invest it all in the markets!

They also never go to zero (as an index although individual stocks can).

Ray Dalio is a legendary investor and he has some indicators that suggest we might be in a bubble - so just be sure to exercise caution if you do choose to invest.

Question

I HEARD you saying you dont think people should ever be able to vote until they are 18. I know more about politics than my parents do because I care about it - so why shouldnt I vote at age 16?

Answer

That you ask is the answer. Obviously you may be very political, and perhaps politicised too, but you dont represent regular 16 year olds.

Nor are you likely to have kids or many other things that adulthood brings - like tax bills (which pay for the system).

So be a kid, enjoy it, youll be an adult long enough and vote then all you want.

More here:

Time to wage war on welfare and arguments for why minimum wage should be increased - The Irish Sun

In the aftermath of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement and the 2021 Invasion Day protests held across the country on Australia Day, we have seen online discussions emerge about the policing of Black identity, specifically Black identities situated outside of the United States of America in this case, Australia.

These discussions can be reduced to the following: whether it is appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to identify as Black. This discussion is not new. In fact, it is old, it is tired and quite frankly it is time to finally put it to rest.

This piece is informed by my own lived experiences and practices as a Black Aboriginal Australian woman living, working, holding space and healing on the stolen unceded lands of my people. It is this journey that continues to shape my lens as an individual, lawyer and academic.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is unique in that we have historically identified, and continue to identify, as both Black and First Nations. This uniqueness is reflected in the way that our community spells and defines the term Black, with some subscribing to the traditional English spelling while others prefer Blak or Bla(c)k).

It is also important to note that some members of our community use all three variationsBlack, Blak and Bla(c)kinterchangeably (I certainly do). Although, over time we have seen a rise in the use of the latter two terms.

The term Blak was first coined by First Nations Australian artist Destiny Deacon in the early 1990s to create decolonial self-definition and expression. Decolonising the term Black by redefining the spelling and meaning for our community in this way served to:

The term Bla(c)k on the other hand, represents the histories, cultures and identities of not only First Nations Australians, but also African Australians, African migrants, African diasporic communities, South Sea and Pacific Islanders. However, nationally speaking, the term Black Australia generally refers to over 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups and/or nations who collectively self-identify as Blackfullas/Blackfellas.

As Traditional Owners of this continent known as Australia, our sovereignty was never ceded and continues to exist today. Long story short, Black, Blak and Bla(c)k Australian identities are united through a history of resistance to oppressive colonial powers, and the validity of our Blackness is quite frankly not up for debate.

"Havent the Australian and American Nation States quite literally done this to death?" says Marijke Bassani. Image: Supplied.

Whether you identify as Black, Blak or Bla(c)k, regardless of where you are situated in the world at what point did it become normalised to police the racial identity and experience of other people and communities? Havent the Australian and American Nation States quite literally done this to death? Both of our histories and current realities are marred by heavy State surveillance and the over-policing of Black identity, movement, language and culture.

Similar to the United States, Black Australias engagement with the settler State is also based on a perception of our identity that is rooted in racial oppression. Police brutality, slavery, racism, over-incarceration, economic disadvantage, settler colonialism, poverty, racial capitalism, suicide, intergenerational trauma, white supremacy and cultural genocide are simply not unique to the United States.

It is for these reasons that First Nations Australians strongly connectboth historically and at presentwith Black American movements. To cut another long story short, our Black lives matter too. Political Activist, Co-Founder and President of the Black Lives Matter Greater New York City movement, Hawk Newsome recognised this when he declared in 2018 on Gadigal land (Sydney CBD) that its the same story, different soil.

It is upon this common ground that we as Black peoples must unite. It is time that we stop engaging in what can only be described as the Oppression Olympics. Comparing present and historic traumas, including the number of years under which we have all suffered under colonisation and the settler State is itself a colonial practice rooted in white supremacy, that is neither necessary nor useful because racial oppression is simply that: oppression.

There can be no winner. Despite this, slavery histories in the United States and Australia appear to be a common comparative at the crux of the Black identity debate, and it seems that this too requires clarification in order for us to move forward on our journey toward First Nations sovereignty and Black liberation.

While Australia was not officially a slave trading State like the United States, slavery practices emerged in the 19th century and existed until the late 1950s, with some First Nations Australians not receiving payment of wages or equal wages until the 1980s commonly referred to as the Stolen wages era. A Slave Map of Modern Australia printed in 1891 by the British Anti-Slavery Reporter, including nation-wide familial and communal accounts further reinforced Australias dark history of enslaving First Nations Australians.

To use my own family history as an example, in the 20th century my paternal great grandparents were stripped of their traditional names and forced to adopt the surname of an Italian settler as part of an employment agreement, despite never actually receiving a wage. This practice of settler surname adoption for the purpose of employment was also mandatorily applied to their subsequent children from birth; that is, my grandfather and his siblings.

Thus, further demonstrating that this was not employment but in fact, slavery. And herein lies the dark origins of my Italian surname. Sadly, this story is not unique and is shared by many First Nations Australians who, similar to my family, became enslaved on their own lands for generations.

"We are the living embodiment of Black liberation and First Nations sovereignty," says Marijke Bassani. Image: Supplied.

And so, it goes without saying that settler colonialism and white supremacy go hand in handthey are bedfellows reinforcing one another. Consequently, we cannot dismantle white supremacy without decolonising the settler State and the very systems that uphold it. Black liberation and First Nations sovereignty are inextricably linked and not mutually exclusive.

We, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, being both Black and First Nations, breathe life into this connection through our very existence as the oldest surviving culture in the world. An existence which is in itself a resistance to the systems responsible for both of our oppressions.

We are the living embodiment of Black liberation and First Nations sovereignty. Forging a brighter path for future Black generations within the United States, Australia and abroad, will require a unified front that embraces, and does not police this fact. In a world where we are already over-policed, let us refrain from policing one another as this only furthers the cause of our oppressor.

We must begin to recognise that Blackness and Black identity are fluid social constructs influenced and determined by diverse geographical, historical and cultural contexts. Only then will we, as a global Black community, move closer toward true emancipation from the legal, political and social conditions we continue to experience in our daily lives as a result of colonisation and its accompanying oppressive systems.

Now more than ever, we must engage in practices that demonstrate Black lives mattering all over the world because only then will we draw closer to actually dismantling white supremacy. Indeed, this work will not be easy and we may not live to see the results in our lifetime but we owe it to our ancestors, our sacred lands and each other to at least try because in the end,all of our Black lives matter.

Marijke Bassani, lawyer and Phd candidate at UNSW Sydney.

Marijke Bassani is a Lama Lama, Binthi Warra and Bulgun Warra woman.She is a human rights lawyer, PhDcandidate,UC Berkeley Visiting Researcher,andcasual lecturer at UNSW Sydney.

Currently conducting a cross-border PhD study with the United States, Ms Bassani is exploringquestions of Indigeneity, sexuality, gender and the law with a focus on the experiences of Indigenous LGBTQI+ 2Spirit, Sistergirl and Brotherboy peoples within their communities and the legal system.

Find out more about Ms Bassani's research.

See the original post here:

All of our Black lives matter: The problems with policing Black Australian identities and experiences - UNSW Newsroom

Decision is up to each individual

President Joe Bidens comments about the announcements from the Texas and Mississippi governors to lift face mask mandates in their states, says so much about how the Democratic party views the ability of the individual citizen to make decisions on their own.

Neither state is prohibiting the wearing of face masks, Rather, they are leaving that decision up to each individual. It will now be up to each individual in these states to decide to wear or not to wear a face masks or whether the owner of a business will allow customers in who are not wearing a mask.

The presidents labeling these decisions as neanderthal shows that the Democratic Party does not believe that the individual can make these decisions on their own. Where is our government of the people, by the people and for the people?. It is now a concept that seems to have escaped from the Democratic Party.

Robert Lee

Colorado Springs

I would like to know when it became okay to use the streets of Colorado Springs as garbage cans! Why is it that people cannot be responsible and keep their fast food bags, cups, lids, straws, bottles, and whatever other trash they accumulate, in their vehicles until they are near a trash can? This is not a difficult task to accomplish!

When I go for walks in my neighborhood, I carry several plastic shopping bags. They are all filled within 3 blocks of my home. During the nice weather, I fill these bags daily.

Littering used to be against the law! I guess that no longer applies. I urge everyone to take a few minutes out of their day to at least pick up the trash that fellow citizens have deposited on the streets in front of your homes. I realize you did not put it there, and should not have to pick up the trash of irresponsible people, but just think of the positive impact it would have on our city.

There are many volunteer groups that get together to pick up trash along creek beds parks, highways, and numerous other locations, but rarely are these groups in neighborhoods. We should all take pride in our city and clean it up.

Theresa Brown

Colorado Springs

As a recently retired elementary teacher and grandparent of two literacy-loving young boys, heres my take on the Dr. Seuss issue:

Theyre wrong all night,

Theyre wrong all day.

And I just dont care

What they say!

I wont stop reading Dr. Seuss.

I wont! I wont!

I just refuse!

Those books arent racist!

No, theyre not!

Theyre just old (1930s) differences

That can be taught.

Now, move along,

Dust off those books.

Hurry! Hurry!

Before theyre burned!

Another generation,

While drinking their juice,

Await the imagination

Of dear Dr. Seuss.

Dedra Montoya

Colorado Springs

I just received my second COVID-19 shot today. At the clinic I asked the staff a simple question; after 14 days from my second shot, am I protected (94%) from contracting the virus? The answer I got was very instructive. I was told that the Moderna COVID shot(s) that I received, did not protect me from contracting COVID-19 or transmitting it to someone else, but rather it will significantly mitigate my symptoms and reduces the severity of my illness. Being over 70 this is a very good thing.

I believe there is a significant percentage of our population that believes that after being vaccinated they are protected from contracting the virus and thus can not pass it on. It seems that the Colorado Department of Health as well as the CDC should clarify this important distinction. This would make it clear why wearing masks and social distancing is still important. I am also curious about how herd immunity works. If the vaccine does not reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus and thus infecting others how have we helped to establish herd immunity? It seems to me that the same number of people will test positive for the virus as before the vaccine was available. It seems that this is why the CDC guidance for the schools to open makes so much since. Admittedly my thinking could be entirely wrong. I would urge The Gazette to write an article in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Health that very clearly states the true facts. This article could go a long way toward settling the mask conflict.

John C. Hoelscher

Woodland Park

Minimum wage: Not a problem, unless youre trying to live on it.

I support a living wage as a human right. How can we ethically ask people to work for less than they can live on? We never ratified human rights in this country, I know, so Ill keep this short. Since that question has been sidelined, lets follow the money. Why arent we arguing over the maximum wage? Dont be distracted by the crumbs that fall from the table. The United States topped the list in 2018 for the country with the highest gap between CEO and worker pay. In that year, for every U.S. dollar an average worker received, the average CEO earned 265 U.S. dollars. (Staistica Research Department, Nov./2020) And that is an average, masking the most egregious disparities.

Mike Rosen wrote in an op-ed (Feb. 17, 2021), the pay of an individual worker is a function of his or her merit and performance, not need. I wonder how you calculate the CEOs performance as being 265 times more valuable than the essential workers? Under slavery, the humanity of the labor force was reduced; a slave being worth 3/5 of a human(slave owner), which justified the skewing of gains away from labor. But today, in our competitive market economy, isnt it time to name greed for what it is and set some limits on what the boss takes home? And just maybe, as we do that, we can move closer to a living wage for the most undervalued.

Pastor Paula Stecker

Colorado Springs

The rest is here:

LETTERS: Decision is up to each individual; littering used to be against the law - Colorado Springs Gazette

BEIRUT (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - There is almost nothing Raquel Barrion doesnt know about the two Lebanese children she has looked after since they were babies. But one day, the Filipina domestic worker decided to find out how much they knew about her.

Barrion, 39, was pleasantly surprised when - by means of a light-hearted quiz game - one of them got her birthday right and both knew her favourite colour as well as he best-loved food.

Many families across the Middle East and beyond might struggle to answer such questions about the live-in workers who cook for them, clean, and care for their children.

The quiz game is one of many upbeat experiences recounted by Barrion on video sharing app TikTok as a way to tell the rarely heard stories of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, where an economic crisis and COVID-19 have highlighted cases of abuse.

By posting daily videos, which have garnered more than 600,000 likes in a year, Barrion said she hoped to give a voice to Lebanons often-neglected domestic workers and a humanizing glimpse into their hidden lives.

Its a simple message, were domestic workers and work at home, but were also human. We need our freedom, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, in a phone interview.

Several hundred thousand migrant domestic workers from countries including the Philippines, Ethiopian, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh live in Lebanon, where the coronavirus pandemic has compounded financial woes.

As the crisis intensified last year, scores of employers dumped live-in domestic workers on the streets, saying they could no longer afford monthly wages often as low as $200.

Reports of inhumane treatment and horrific abuse under the countrys kafala employment system, likened by rights groups to modern-day slavery, spread across the world.

LIKE FAMILY

Barrion, however, said her 11 happy years in Lebanon showed domestic work could benefit both the worker and their employees, and bring positives for the host country too.

She gets paid what she considers a fair wage, $700, gets regular time off, and said her employers treat her like family.

It was the start of Lebanons first lockdown last March when Barrion started posting videos to TikTok because she was forced to spend her days off at home.

She began posting quirky behind-the-scenes videos including tips on how to remain positive, dancing and bread-making.

As time went on, she started to add commentary on the regimented lifestyle that housekeeping work entails, or the difficulties of dating as a domestic worker.

In one, she holds her months pay in her hand before setting aside the lions share to send home to her family, keeping the little that is left for her monthly allowance and savings.

In another, she gives a tour of her humble living quarters -consisting of a narrow bed, shoes stacked in their boxes and a small altar adorned with images of Lebanese saints.

Comments from Barrions mostly Lebanese followers are overwhelmingly positive, and she said the pandemic had motivated acts of kindness towards hard-hit migrant workers.

As thousands of Lebanese emigrated during the crisis, foreign maids also left the country on repatriation flights organised by their home countries last year, including hundreds from the Philippines.

I felt so sad, I had a neighbour who went back and Im alone here now when I go out, Barrion said.

At the height of the lockdown crisis, she and some friends got together to buy groceries for domestic workers who had been kicked out of their homes or fled abusive employers, fondly recalling how her Lebanese employees had chipped in.

Most Lebanese and the new generation have a good heart, she said. They can just be very shy to show it.

Reporting by Timour Azhari @timourazhari; Editing by Helen Popper. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit news.trust.org

See the original post here:

TikTok domestic worker shows the positives of life in Lebanon - Reuters

Dear Editor,

The polarization of politics in Guyana did not prevent the holding of free and fair elections. However, the absence of political tension during or after elections in the form of street protests should not be interpreted as a climate of political stability. At the same time, the

maintenance of political stability can easily be jeopardized if sustained efforts and hard work are not done to maintain the countrys macroeconomic fundamentals, ensure good governance, growth in the economy, end corruption, creation of job opportunities, provision of goods and services as well as the provision of a living wage for the Guyanese working people. In polarized societies such as ours, the judiciary is called upon to play a critical role, it must rise and stand above the political fray and not be perceived to be in concubinage with, nor contaminated by a polarized environment and establishment. If at any time, the judiciary were to be perceived as captive of a polarized environment, that would send a strong signal indicating that Guyana has embarked on the road to being a failed state, which as matters stand, is certainly not the case. With the introduction by the colonial powers of social structures of societies based on tribes, slavery, indentureship, ethnicity and religion, historical experience has shown that polarization and marginalization can give birth to political and social forces who champion extremist, and sometimes adventurist positions that can disrupt the peace and good order in society.

It is the echo-chamber that stirs and promotes polarization, political, ethnic or otherwise. The echo chamber is largely responsible for providing a comfort level for those who hold that their view or action is the correct way and any other view or action is not. Refusing to acknowledge what each other stand for is to engage in a dialogue of the deaf. The process degenerates with the introduction of the racial and ethnic factor at every bend of the river. In the recent budget debate the government projected the countrys developmental trajectory whilst the opposition rejected outright the 2021 budget measures. Under these conditions, the culture of the blame game become a convenient political tool. At the same time, little or no attention is paid to the possibility that, with free and fair elections, and with the prospects for change, the policies of a political party may very well have a shelf life of just five years.

The loss of political power allegedly due to polarization in voting patterns and the perceived decrease in the allocation of resources can result in increased struggle by those who, in a democracy, feel a sense of social exclusion and deprivation. In a reconstituted GECOM there are good prospects for constructive engagement between government and opposition. At the Parliamentary level, between 1992 and 2018 approximately 436 Bills and Motions were passed without division in the National Assembly. It seems as though for now, Parliament and GECOM are the only two institutions where good prospects exist to address the challenge of polarization not only from an institutional perspective but for national advancement. Bipartisan cooperation by government and opposition at these two levels can be tested and hopefully, prove to be successful in more than a hundred ways for the good of our country and people.

Yours faithfully,

Clement J. Rohee

View original post here:

Polarization leads to a sense of social exclusion and deprivation - Stabroek News

The legislation will require employers to make reasonable accommodation to the known physical and mental impairments of an otherwise qualified person with a disability, if necessary to assist such person in performing a particular job, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer.

RICHMOND The Virginia General Assembly passed several bills this session expanding employment protections for people with disabilities and domestic workers but killed a pair of workplace harassment bills.

Five bills were introduced during the 2021 session to amend the Virginia Human Rights Act. Three passed the General Assembly. The Virginia Human Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, among other groups. Virginia last year became the first Southern state to pass sweeping anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community through the Virginia Values Act.

House Bill 1848 extends employment discrimination protection to people with disabilities. The legislation unanimously passed both chambers and Gov. Ralph Northam recently signed the bill into law.

I am very happy that the bill has widespread support, chief patron Del. Mark D. Sickles (D-Fairfax) said in a press release. I cant thank our advocates enough, and am grateful for the leadership in Attorney General Mark Herrings office and for the guidance of the disAbility Law Center.

Workers with disabilities

Employers with five or more employees must make reasonable accommodations to workers with disabilities unless the employer can demonstrate such accommodations would place an undue hardship on the employer. Federal law prohibits discrimination under the basis of disability for employers with 15 or more employees.

Del. Kathy Tran (D-Springfield) said during a House subcommittee hearing that in 2019 the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was twice as high as those without disabilities.

People who have disabilities, who are able to and want to work, I think we should try to help them be part of the workforce, Del. Tran said.

A person who claims they were denied reasonable accommodation must file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights. They would need to exhaust all administrative processes before pursuing a lawsuit.

Colleen Miller, executive director of the disAbility Law Center of Virginia, an advocacy organization, said the bills passage is an important development for Virginians with disabilities who are in the workforce and wish to be fully employed.

Domestic workers rights

A trio of bills centered on domestic workers rights, dubbed the Virginia Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, were introduced in both chambers this year. Last year, Virginia lawmakers passed a bill guaranteeing minimum wage to domestic workers.

The bills patrons highlighted the impact of excluding domestic workers from employment laws, which they said are bound to the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow-era laws. Domestic workers include occupations such as cooks, waiters, butlers, maids, valets and chauffeurs, according to the bills.

A majority of domestic workers are women of color and are three times as likely to live in poverty than other workers, according to the Economic Policy Institute, an independent economic research organization.

Introduced by Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan (D-Richmond), Senate Bill 1310 extends employment nondiscrimination to employers with one or more domestic workers. It also expands employment protections to domestic workers, including laws regarding the payment of wages.

This is a huge step forward to provide stronger workers rights and a safer workplace for 60,000 Virginia domestic workers, Sen. McClellan stated in a press release. As the daughter, granddaughter, and great granddaughter of domestic workers, I know how essential domestic workers are to the economy and how poorly mistreated theyve been for generations.

Sen. McClellans bill passed the General Assembly and now heads to the governors desk. The House companion bill, HB 1864, from Del. Cia Price (D-Newport News) also passed the General Assembly and awaits the governors signature.

Lawmakers also passed HB 2032, patroned by Del. Wendy W. Gooditis (D-Clarke). The measure does not amend the states Human Rights Act, but it ensures domestic workers are not excluded from employee protection laws. Workers will be able to file complaints regarding workplace safety. Virginia is the 10th state to pass such legislation. Portions of the bill that would include domestic workers under the Virginia Workers Compensation Act were removed.

Failed sexual harassment bills

The two bills amending the Human Rights Act that lawmakers could not advance would have strengthened current workplace sexual harassment laws.

Del. Vivian E. Watts (D-Fairfax) introduced HB 2155 to expand and clarify the definition of workplace harassment and sexual harassment. The bill passed the House but died in the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 6-7. It was the delegates second attempt to pass such protections.

The Senate companion bill, SB 1360, reported out of the Senate Judiciary committee, but was sent back and never picked back up. Patroned by Sen. McClellan, the legislation died over concerns on the bills absence of employers liabilities, especially for small businesses.

Del. Watts said her bill aimed to provide clearer definition of workplace and sexual harassment. The language in the bill comes from federal court harassment case decisions over a span of two decades, Watts said.

Del. Watts measure clarifies that employers would be liable for the supervisors actions. She said committee members who voted against the bill failed to understand the guidance of employers liability is not currently spelled out in Virginias law. Employers may be alleviated from any liability if they can prove they exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct harassment or if employees unreasonably fail to take actions on preventable or corrective opportunities to avoid further harassment, according to the bill.

Both bills defined workplace harassment as an unwelcome conduct based on race, religion, natural origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and more. Sexual harassment includes a sexual advance, a request for sexual favors, or any conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace.

Del. Watts said her bill will remove a glass ceiling and power differential that contributes to workplace and sexual harassment.

If you don't go along (with the workplace harassment), then you will be denied professional opportunities, work opportunities moving forward, she said. It is a power struggle, and that power struggle makes it a point of leverage.

Prior to her bills death, Del. Watts said there also was confusion over the Senate bills language, referring to the committee's dispute on Sen. McClellans bill.

There wasnt a real focus as there needed to be, Del. Watts said.

Sen. McClellans bill met debate from other lawmakers in the Senate Judiciary committee, such as Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax), over the bills language. Sen. McClellan asked Sen. Petersen if he wanted to add an amendment. He said he didnt.

I just want this bill to go away, Sen. Petersen said.

Sen. Petersen questioned whether his wife asking men to move the furniture for her constituted sexual harassment. Multiple lawmakers said the bills language was too broad.

Sen. McClellan, a gubernatorial candidate, is committed to advancing anti-workplace harassment laws, either as a legislator or governor, according to her spokesperson.

Del. Watts said she will reintroduce her bill next year. She said she will make sure there is an understanding that the bill contains a sound, legal approach to employers liability.

I believe that the majority of the members do believe that this is something that needs to be spelled out to protect employees, and particularly minorities and women, Del. Watts said.

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