Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – White Cane Coffee CEO and founder Erin Willman is headed to Washington, D.C. to testify before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and can be viewed here.
Willman is one of four witnesses scheduled to appear during the “All Means All: Empowering People with Disabilities to Thrive in Careers and the Workplace” full committee hearing. The hearing aims to gather information regarding legislation aimed at repealing Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Section 14(c) of the FLSA authorizes employers, after receiving a certificate from the Wage and Hour Division, to pay subminimum wages – wages less than the Federal minimum wage – to workers who have disabilities for the work being performed.”
The Senate Special Committee on Aging includes both Pennsylvania Senators, Bob Casey and John Fetterman, along with fellow Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Mark Kelly (AZ), and Raphael Warnock (GA). Republicans on the committee include ranking member Mike Braun (IN), Tim Scott (SC), Marco Rubio (FL), Rick Scott (FL), J.D. Vance (OH), and Pete Ricketts (NE).
A watch party will be held at the White Cane Coffee cafe, 28 Market Street (next to Anytime Fitness in the Tops Plaza).
“This is civics in action,” Bob Willman said.
