House Bill 225 — House Commerce and Labor Committee (May 21, 2025)

Summary

Testimony on House Bill 225 dated May 21, 2025, addressed to Chair Johnson, Vice Chair Lear, Ranking Member McNally and members of the House Commerce and Labor Committee, by Phyllis J. Mesko, who states that the witness has been a pediatric nurse for many years. The testimony recounts the witness's experience with job placements and workplace supports for the witness's son, including a job coach and accommodations worked out with HR. It states that it is important for people with disabilities to be able to work for an equal wage in the community alongside typical peers. It closes with the hope that subminimum wage will be phased out and ends with the names Mark V. Mesko and Phyllis J. Mesko.

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Full text

House Bill 225
May 21, 2025
House Commerce and Labor Committee

Thank you, Chair Johnson, Vice Chair Lear, Ranking Member McNally, and
members of the House Commerce and Labor Committee, for the opportunity
to testify today on House Bill 225.

My name is Phyllis J. Mesko, and I have been a pediatric nurse for many years,
and I am here to tell my son Mark’s story.

I was the oldest of three girls growing up in an Italian family. In 1956, the
doctor told my parents that my younger sister Nancy, born with a disability,
would never walk or talk. My mom and dad were devastated. I saw first-hand
what they did over and above to prove the doctor wrong. My father had parallel
bars built in the basement and we all took turns working with her. He also
collected tax stamps which were given out when I was young for purchases
whether small or large. Our friends and family would give them to him to help
pay for some of Nancy’s therapy. With constant support and advocating not only
did she walk and talk, but rode a two-wheel bike, learned to drive and work for 30
years at a local pediatric hospital. Nancy was strong, happy, and resilient, moved
to an assisted living facility in her later years, loved life and was the toughest
person I ever knew. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and a
fall took her life last year.

Because I saw how my mom and dad’s extra support and advocating did to help
my sister excel and have a better quality of life, I knew just what to do for my son.
When Mark was training in high school for a future job placement, being he was
in the multi-handicapped class and non-verbal, people “assumed” he was not
able to work in the community and could only work in a subminimum job making
a subminimum wage. Mark’s dad and I went to a nearby workshop with his SSA to
observe the job, and workers on a mini assembly line putting small toys together.
I asked the manager how long they worked at this job and if they made minimum
wage. She shook her head and said that her workers were not able to work in the
community and they made very little, certainly not minimum wage. Knowing my
son, I knew it wouldn’t be a good fit, remembering while at a video store with
others he was to only do a part of the job consisting of gathering VCR tapes out of
the drive-thru box, bringing them into the store, checking them in, and putting
them back on the shelf. He would not give the key to the next person and insisted
on doing the entire job. We then went to Goodwill where he would have the
opportunity to inflate beach balls, since he liked the beach, the manager thought
this would be a great job. I observed young people sitting at the stationary
machine, which was impossible for my son, unless it was in front of a computer.
While trying a different job site, I was notified my son could not match objects
and would not be a candidate to work in the community. I was confused knowing
this was not the case. I asked if his glasses were clean, the response was: “What,
he wears glasses?”

For Mark to be successful at our local grocery store, the person with him
needed to get to know him. Mark’s job coach is very familiar with him now but
first needed to gain his trust by getting to know him out of the work
environment and learning how to gauge his mood for the day, his method of
learning and abilities with redirection if needed, giving constant praise and
support for a job well done. He and Mark became friends, and Mark began to
trust him. He provides structure and consistency at the work site. He is also
with Mark to stage the next job he is responsible for while providing a safe
environment for him to work in a calm atmosphere geared to Mark’s need for
visual training, being he has a challenging time processing only auditorily. His
job coach is also the liaison between Mark and the managers at the work site.
Knowing and understanding Mark’s disability and intermittent medical issues,
I worked alongside HR to come up with a short list of accommodations for
Mark to be successful working alongside his typical co-worker earning the
same wage.

I feel very strongly that it is important for people with disabilities to be able to
work for an equal wage. They deserve the same opportunities, the chance to
belong working in the community with typical peers, while earning the same
wages . Because they were born with certain needs, with support, and
respect, they can have a positive impact on their community which in turn
helps them gain financial independence, and a feeling of self-worth. This
leads to them becoming a team player with their co-workers and included in
their companies’ social activities. The work site is viewed as a diverse place of
employment giving all employees the right to be part of their work family. The
disabled person can sharpen their job skills and gain more independence just
like their typical peers and show they deserve the same pay rate. They bring
diversity to the table that not only benefits the business but helps them feel
like they belong. Being able to purchase a favorite DVD or go out to lunch with
the money they themselves earned has a positive impact and they prosper.
Mark will rise to the occasion and put his best foot forward while eating with
his co-workers at lunch provided at his store by socializing, non-verbally, that
he loves being part of the group. If Mark is doing the same work even with
support, he is entitled to the same benefits as anyone else and not a
subminimum wage because he has Autism. Since he is working alongside his
co-workers who are in the union, Mark is also in the union, which protects
him. My hope is that all disabled people, physically or mentally with support,
and guidance, can have the same opportunities to work in the community
with their typical peers at a job that they would like, and are interested in,
making the same wage. My sincere hope is that subminimum wage will be
phased out.

Respectively,


Mark V. Mesko and Phyllis J. Mesko


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