WESTVILLE, NJ -- Congressman Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) today urged South Jersey's disabled community to take full advantage of a new law signed by President Clinton on December 17, 1999, that permits persons with disabilities to keep their Medicare coverage when they enter the workforce.  Andrews, a cosponsor of the "Ticket to Work" law, announced the availability of a new federal web site, www.pcepd.com, that fully explains the new law's potential to help the disabled community and the overall economy.

Congressman Andrews held a press conference at the Abilities Center of Southern New Jersey in Westville,  N.J., which is responsible for the evaluation, coaching, training and placement of approximately 350 disabled South Jerseyans each day, including placement in their own on-site “sheltered work environment”. Andrews explained that this change in law serves a dual role in that it allows the disabled to continue to lead more productive and fulfilling lives at the same providing a much needed resource for this country's economy—quality, dependable labor. 

Late last week, The United States Labor Department issued a report that only 276,000 Americans filed new claims for jobless benefits for the week ending May 13, which was down by 21,000 from the previous week. That was the lowest level since April 15, when claims were at 258,000. Economists consider claims below 300,000 an indication of a tight labor market, meaning employers are having trouble finding qualified workers to fill job openings. While that's good for workers, economists find it worrisome. They fear that employers will recruit workers with big increases in wages and benefits, increased costs that companies could pass along to consumers in the form of higher prices.

“In my meetings with nearly 500 local employers in recent months, I have heard time and time again that the number one priority is to find qualified workers," said Andrews. “The risk of losing their Medicare kept thousands of talented persons with a disability out of the workforce, but now we can have the best of both worlds: Employers have access to this experienced and dedicated pool of workers and the disabled can increase their income while providing a much needed role for employers with the confidence that they are not jeopardizing their medical well being because they can retain their health benefits."  

"Our national economic growth strategy requires bringing in non-traditional sources of labor," said Andrews.  In addition to highlighting the value of the contribution of persons with a disability, Andrews spent an entire day highlighting new sources of workers.

Andrews visited a Green Thumb project at the Kennedy Gerontology Center in Stratford, N.J. to highlight how seniors and employers alike are benefiting from this highly successful federally funded program.  Through the Green Thumb program, seniors are able to receive the necessary training and subsequent placement they need to gain employment in order to supplement their income.  Andrews has been an ardent supporter of the Older Americans Act and signed a petition last week to force a vote on this bill.  Last year, he led the fight against a proposal to reduce funding for the program which ultimately received $106.6M in new federal funding of which New Jersey received $4.16M.

Additionally, more seniors are entering the workforce again as a result of The Senior's Freedom to Work Act (HR 5) which was signed into law on April 7 of this year.  Andrews was a cosponsor of this bill, which repealed the "Social Security Earnings Limit," which taxed Social Security benefits of working seniors.  Without this tax, seniors will now be able to earn an unlimited amount of wage income without losing their benefits.  These workers will play a much needed role in filling key positions in area companies provide an intangible benefit in that many of them bring a higher level of maturity and dedication to the companies in which they are employed. Prior to the enactment of this law, a senior above retirement age making $26,000 a year would have lost $7,960 in Social Security benefits.  Now, that senior gets to keep his or her entire check regardless of how much that senior earns.

Andrews next addressed the students and teachers at the Harris School of Business to commend them on their efforts in training former welfare recipients with the skills they need to enter the workforce.  Since the 1997 Welfare Reform Act took effect, the Harris School of Business has among the highest performance of training providers both in South Jersey as well as the entire State of New Jersey.

Our traditional sources of new labor: High schools, colleges, trade and technology schools and apprenticeship programs--all work very well. I am proud of them," said Andrews.  "But in a time of growing need for labor, we need to reach out to new sources of talent: the disabled community, seniors and those making the leap from welfare to work.  In South Jersey, we now have the tools to give our local economy the fuel to grow."
 
 
 

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