U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

29–918 WASHINGTON : 2018

READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO WORK: HOW 

SMALL BUSINESSES EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH 

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

UNITED STATES 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

HEARING HELD 

MAY 9, 2018 

Small Business Committee Document Number 115–071 

Available via the GPO Website: www.govinfo.gov 

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Congress.#13
(II) 

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio, Chairman 

STEVE KING, Iowa 

BLAINE LUETKEMEYER, Missouri 

DAVE BRAT, Virginia 

AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN, American Samoa 

STEVE KNIGHT, California 

TRENT KELLY, Mississippi 

ROD BLUM, Iowa 

JAMES COMER, Kentucky 

JENNIFFER GONZA ́ LEZ-COLO ́ N, Puerto Rico 

BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania 

ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas 

RALPH NORMAN, South Carolina 

JOHN CURTIS, Utah 

NYDIA VELA ́ ZQUEZ, New York, Ranking Member 

DWIGHT EVANS, Pennsylvania 

STEPHANIE MURPHY, Florida 

AL LAWSON, JR., Florida 

YVETTE CLARK, New York 

JUDY CHU, California 

ALMA ADAMS, North Carolina 

ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York 

BRAD SCHNEIDER, Illinois 

VACANT 

KEVIN FITZPATRICK, Majority Staff Director 

JAN OLIVER, Majority Deputy Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

ADAM MINEHARDT, Staff Director 

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C O N T E N T S 

OPENING STATEMENTS 

Page 

Hon. Steve Chabot ................................................................................................... 1 

Hon. Nydia Vela ́zquez ............................................................................................. 2 

WITNESSES 

Ms. Angela Timashenka Geiger, President and CEO, Autism Speaks, Washington, DC ............................................................................................................. 4 

Mr. Dave Friedman, Founder and CEO, AutonomyWorks, Downers Grove, 

IL ........................................................................................................................... 5

Mr. John Cronin, Co-Founder and Chief Happiness Officer, John’s Crazy 

Socks, Melville, NY, accompanied by Mr. Mark X. Cronin, Co-Founder 

and President, John’s Crazy Socks ..................................................................... 7 

Ms. Lori Ireland, President, Extraordinary Ventures, Vice Chair Autism Society of America, Chapel Hill, NC ......................................................................... 9 

APPENDIX 

Prepared Statements: 

Ms. Angela Timashenka Geiger, President and CEO, Autism Speaks, 

Washington, DC ............................................................................................ 22 

Mr. Dave Friedman, Founder and CEO, AutonomyWorks, Downers 

Grove, IL ........................................................................................................ 32 

Mr. John Cronin, Co-Founder and Chief Happiness Officer, John’s Crazy 

Socks, Melville, NY, accompanied by Mr. Mark X. Cronin, Co-Founder 

and President, John’s Crazy Socks .............................................................. 39 

Ms. Lori Ireland, President, Extraordinary Ventures, Vice Chair Autism 

Society of America, Chapel Hill, NC ........................................................... 47 

Questions and Answers for the Record: 

Questions from Hon. Brad Schneider to Mr. Dave Friedman and Answers 

from Mr. Dave Friedman ............................................................................. 53 

Additional Material for the Record: 

Statement from Rep. Adriano Espaillat ......................................................... 57 

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READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO WORK: HOW 

SMALL BUSINESSES EMPOWER PEOPLE 

WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 11:00 a.m., in Room 

2360, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Steve Chabot [chairman of the Committee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Chabot, Brat, Radewagen, Blum, 

Comer, Fitzpatrick, Marshall, Norman, Curtis, Vela ́zquez, Evans, 

and Schneider. 

Chairman CHABOT. Good morning. I call this hearing to order. 

I want to thank everyone for being with us. I am Steve Chabot, 

Chair of the Committee and Nydia Vela ́zquez, the Ranking Member. Last Friday, the Department of Labor reported that the nonfarm unemployment rate is a little under 4 percent, 3.9 to be exact, 

the lowest rate in nearly 2 decades. The last time the unemployment rate remained below 4 percent for a sustained period was the 

late 1960’s. April also marked the 91st consecutive month of job 

gains, the longest streak of monthly increases on record. 

While this is great news for America, here at the Small Business 

Committee, we continue to hear from small businesses about a consequence of historically low unemployment and that is the lack of 

qualified applicants or the skills gap. During times of economic 

prosperity, small businesses often find it more difficult to compete 

with large companies in attracting qualified candidates leaving 

some jobs unfilled. 

One segment of American society that is often overlooked when 

discussing economic opportunities through new job growth is the 

special needs community which brings us to the topic of today’s 

hearing. 

About two years ago, this Committee held a hearing about small 

business opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While employment and labor force participation rates for the disabled population have increased since then, 

there are still many individuals who want to obtain meaningful 

and sustaining employment. Given the innovation, flexibility and 

diversity of small businesses, they can offer inclusive environments 

for employees with developmental disabilities and fill jobs vital to 

operating and expanding their businesses. 

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Today, we are highlighting small business and entrepreneurs 

who are successfully creating jobs and providing opportunities for 

individuals with developmental disabilities. We will also hear from 

advocates who are continuing to raise awareness to small business 

employers that these individuals are ready, willing and able to 

work. 

I appreciate the witnesses being here today and if I ever stop 

talking we will get to them. And I look forward to hearing their 

testimony as I am sure we are all do. And I would now like to yield 

to the Ranking Member, for her opening remarks. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For most people, 

work is closely aligned with feelings of self-worth, independence, 

and a general sense that one is contributing to society. Generally, 

when small businesses are succeeding, the result is greater employment opportunity for all Americans. Small businesses open doors 

and create jobs in their communities by helping people earn a living doing the things that they are most passionate about. 

Unfortunately, one particular demographic continues to face persistent challenges when it comes to securing employment. Individuals with autism, spectrum disorder or Down syndrome have an 

unemployment rate significantly higher than the national average. 

It is estimated that 80 percent are unemployed or under employed. 

Regrettably this population faces an uphill battle to overcome 

false perceptions about their abilities and capacity as employees. 

Many of those on the autism spectrum excel in specialized kinds 

of work like software testing, lap work and proofreading. They observe details that others miss and are able to focus for long periods 

of time. Naturally, they take well deserved pride in their distinctive abilities and atypical ways of viewing the world. 

Similarly individuals with Down Syndrome are valued members 

of the work force when given the opportunity. Yet, despite their 

proven abilities, desire to work and the benefits to all parties involved, a lack of opportunity remains. Enhancing opportunities for 

these employees is not only beneficial from a business perspective 

but also from an overall society perspective. 

Research shows employing individuals with disabilities reduces 

reliance on publicly funded adult services. With increased public 

awareness and the excellence shown by those already in the work 

force, many of the false notions about those with autism are starting to be debunked. 

Today, small businesses are at the forefront of creating innovative business models that employ these highly competent and hardworking individuals. We are very happy to have some of them here 

today to share their experiences. 

I hope this hearing will further dispel misconception while making it clear that great things are being done across the nation to 

bring more individuals with autism or Down syndrome into the 

work force. 

I would like to thank the witnesses for testifying and look forward to your testimony. Thank you Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. The gentlelady 

yields back and if Committee members have opening statements 

prepared I ask that they be submitted for the record. 

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And I would like to take just a moment to explain the timing 

lights and our rules here. It is pretty simple. You get 5 minutes 

to testify. You will have a lighting system. The green light is on 

for 4 minutes, the yellow light will let you know that you have a 

minute to wrap up and then the red light will come on. And we 

would ask that you try to stay within those limits and when the 

red light comes on that is kind of it. So and I will now introduce 

our panel. 

Our first witness this afternoon or this morning will be Ms. Angela Geiger. Ms. Geiger is the President and CEO of Autism 

Speaks here in Washington, D.C. Autism Speaks advocates and 

supports individuals with autism and their families including 

working with both employers and employees to increase employment opportunities for individuals with autism. 

And I might note for the record that my Chief of Staff, Stacy, her 

daughter who is 18 years old has autism and she has educated me 

a great deal over the years and I have had the opportunity to 

speak to her class before and they have come to Capitol Hill to visit 

Washington and it is very inspiring to me. In fact Friday evening 

I got a text from Stacy and it was her daughter’s prom and so she 

was coming down their steps in a very beautiful dress and she is 

just a beautiful young lady and it was very, it was really nice. So 

if anybody wants to see them they are on my iPhone here so. 

And we will introduce our next witness. Our second witness will 

be Dave Friedman and he is the Founder and CEO of Autonomy 

Works in Downers Grove, Illinois. Autonomy Works is a small business providing digital marketing services for their clients and high 

tech jobs for individuals with autism and we welcome you here, Mr. 

Friedman. 

Our next witness will be Mr. John Cronin. John is the Co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer of John’s Crazy Socks in Melville, 

New York. John founded the company with his father, Mark, who 

is also with us here today and John’s passion for crazy socks and 

spreading happiness led to a startup business that now employees 

33 people including 15 with differing abilities. And we welcome 

you, John and his dad is welcome here, but John, you are especially welcomed here today. So thank you for coming. Thank you. 

And I would now like to yield to the Ranking Member to introduce our final witness. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to introduce Lori Ireland. She is a Co-founder of Extraordinary Ventures and the Vice Chair for Autism Society of America. For the 

last decade she has devoted her time and energy to creating jobs 

and opportunities for people with autism. She also serves as a Director for the Ireland Family Foundation, an organization that 

helps support research and direct services for adults on the autism 

spectrum. Ms. Ireland earned a master’s in business administration from the University of California Berkley. Welcome. Thank 

you. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. And, Ms. Geiger, you 

are recognized for 5 minutes. 

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STATEMENTS OF ANGELA TIMASHENKA GEIGER, PRESIDENT 

AND CEO, AUTISM SPEAKS; DAVE FRIEDMAN, FOUNDER AND 

CEO, AUTONOMYWORKS; JOHN CRONIN, CO-FOUNDER AND 

CHIEF HAPPINESS OFFICER, JOHN’S CRAZY SOCKS; LORI 

IRELAND PRESIDENT IRELAND FAMILY FOUNDATION 

STATEMENT OF ANGELA TIMASHENKA GEIGER 

Ms. GEIGER. Thank you. Good morning, Chairman and Ranking 

Member Vela ́zquez and members of the Committee. I am Angela 

Timashenka Geiger, the President and CEO of Autism Speaks. We 

at Autism Speaks are dedicated to promoting solutions across the 

spectrum and throughout the life span for the needs of people with 

autism and their families. We do work on issues across the entire 

lifespan but place a special emphasis on adults with autism in part 

by providing tools and resources to expand employment opportunities. 

Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to talk to you 

about some of these overarching themes and trends for employing 

people with autism and how small businesses specifically are utilizing their unique ability to employ individuals with autism. 

As you have mentioned, the employment rates of adults with disabilities is much lower than those for people without disabilities. 

And the employment rate of individuals with autism is lower still. 

1 in 4 adults with disabilities like autism is employed whereas 1 

in 3 adults with other disabilities hold a job in this current economy. 

Each year an estimated 50,000 youth with autism transition 

from school into adult life, and over half of these people are disconnected from work or further education and training. But despite 

this, progress is being made. In the last year employment rates for 

people with disabilities have increased continuing the upward 

trend over the last 24 months. In fact in March of 2018 the Bureau 

of Labor Statistics reported the employment participation age rate 

for working age people with disabilities increased from 34.8 percent 

up from 32.3 percent the previous year. This rate of increase really 

importantly is greater than the rate of increase for people without 

disabilities. So these gains are really encouraging and suggest that 

some progress we are at least in the right direction. 

So through our continued work on employment, we have identified three trends employing people with autism that we would like 

to highlight today. First, one of the most rapidly reported and reproduced trends is mission driven businesses. This is where social 

entrepreneurs create a business whose mission is to hire people 

with autism. You will see some of those examples here today. 

Also an increasing number of large employers have announced 

autism employment initiatives to diversity their work force and 

certainly to attract more people into the work force with the employment rate as it is. We are really working at Autism Speaks to 

systematize some of those best practices so that they can be used 

much more widely in the public. 

And the third major trend we see is an increase in the number 

of micro enterprises and small businesses established and operated 

by entrepreneurs with autism. Again you will hear more about that 

today from some of the other witnesses. 

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Some of the ways Autism Speaks directly impacts employment 

people with autism is through consultation, through creating a jobs 

portal workforce to providing absolutely free tool kids and training 

to small businesses and other business alike and we want to continue this trend and do more into the future. So while these trends 

and themes are promising, there does remain room for improvement in three specific ways. 

First, transition services in schools must be improved and consistently start earlier. These transition services can start as early 

and should start as early as 14 or 16 depending on your state and 

must include coordination or cross vocational rehabilitation, special 

education and career services. Schools must work with community 

employers to help match student with available jobs. 

Second, coordination, these coordination across service needs to 

be improved. Autism Speaks absolutely agrees with HHS’s recommendation to Congress contained within the 2017 Autism Cares 

Report on a transition. What that did was increase alignment between different entities serving transition age youth. And that 

would result in more seamless service delivery and improve employment outcomes for adults. Again this coordination is so necessary for the success of people with autism and other disabilities. 

And finally, the state level implementation of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act of 2014 and Medicaid home and community based services needs to result in meaningful outcomes for 

adults with autism. When this act was passed in 2014 it included 

preemployment transition services as a strategy to improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. 

We at Autism Speaks are really working hard with states to figure out what is working really well and how we can replicate those 

models across other states and communities. And so employment 

truly is more than the key to independence. Our jobs are, in large 

part in the way we define ourselves. People with autism deserve 

the same rights in that as other people. And we look forward to 

working with you to strengthen that partnership. So thank you. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. Mr. Friedman, you 

are recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Thank you. Chairman and Ranking Member, 

members of the Committee—— 

Chairman CHABOT. Do you want to turn the mic on? 

STATEMENT OF DAVE FRIEDMAN 

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Chairman and Ranking Member and members 

of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to share my story and 

a little bit about my team at Autonomy Works. I am Dave Friedman. I am sitting in front of you for only one reason. I am sitting 

here because of my son, Matthew. Matthew is 22 years old and like 

a lot of 22-ear olds, he’s an avid sports fan. He runs. He plays in 

a basketball league. He loves his iPad and his games. But unlike 

lots of 22-year olds, Matthew has autism. He has lots of skills. He 

is exceptional at math. He is very good with spatial learning. 

But, his autism presents several challenges. He has a hard time 

with social interactions. He has a hard time with planning and organizing. 

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When kids with disabilities turn 14 and a half the school system 

is required to start a process called Transition Planning where you 

start to look at what a kid with a disability is going to do after they 

graduate from high school. 

Matt has a lot of talents, but he wasn’t likely to be successful in 

a traditional college environment. He doesn’t have the social skills 

or the organizational skills. My wife and I started trying to figure 

out what he might do after he graduated from high school. And we 

were shocked, stunned literally, about how few opportunities existed in the professional world for people with autism. 

There are very few jobs and the jobs that exist are largely low 

skill and don’t take advantage of the talents that many people with 

autism have. 

As Ms. Geiger said, Matthew is not alone. People with intellectual disabilities have very low work force participation rates. 

Where they do participate in the workforce, they have very high 

unemployment rates. Given that 50,000 people with autism graduate from the school system into the world of work every year, this 

presents a significant challenge for both families and communities. 

For most of the people with autism, the challenge with employment is not the result of technical or functional skills. Many people 

with autism possess skills that are very valuable in today’s work 

force—intense focus, comfort with numbers and process, and a passion for detail and quality. However, many people with autism 

have challenges that make it difficult for them to be successful in 

the workplace. Businesses large and small lack the knowledge and 

experience required to hire and manage this workforce. In 2012, I 

left my corporate career and founded Autonomy Works to help close 

this gap. 

Autonomy-Works is a for-profit commercial business. We leverage the talents of people with autism to provide our clients with 

essential services. We have been operating for five years and serve 

more than 15 commercial clients. Each week, our team of Associates delivers hundreds of discreet tasks for our clients at exceptional levels of quality. We were built from the start to employ people with autism. We created a business system and a custom-tailored work environment to make them successful. 

Since our founding, we have generated more than 70,000 hours 

of paid employment for adults with autism. We are growing and by 

the end of 2020 anticipate employing more than 100 people. Without their jobs at Autonomy-Works, most of these individuals would 

be relying on public assistance or the support of their families. 

Working at Autonomy-Works enables them to earn income while 

building skills that are valuable for many other jobs. 

Across all of our employees, we have seen the challenge, the potential, and the transformation that happens when people get jobs. 

There are literally too many stories to possibly share with you here 

today. But if I could speak just of one, if I could speak as a father 

about my son, I have really seen how it has changed his life. When 

Matthew graduated from school, like lots of people with disabilities, 

he looked back to the security and the supports that he had when 

he was in high school and his transition program. Work has given 

him a new purpose. He has mastered public transportation. He attends a local community college so he can learn new skills to be 

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able to work and he is preparing to live independently. Matthew 

is building a life. 

There is a lot more to be done. Small businesses generate a large 

portion of the jobs in the country. Small businesses are going to 

have to be part of the solution for people with disabilities. With 

your actions, this Committee has the ability to support small businesses that are trying to hire people with disabilities. 

There are two specific things which I would like the Committee 

to consider going forward. The first is to expand the 8(a) Business 

Development Program to include businesses that hire people with 

disabilities. Today, participation is based on other criteria that 

don’t incorporate these types of business. 

Second, I would like to ask the Committee to support small business apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeships are a proven approach for transitioning people with disabilities into jobs. The scale 

of small businesses can make it difficult to develop and operate apprentice programs. We encourage this Committee to explore and 

support targeted initiatives that enable small business to build 

these programs collaboratively. 

With that, Chairman, Ranking Member and members of the 

Committee, thank you for letting us share our story and more importantly the story of my colleagues at AutonomyWorks. I look forward to your questions. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. Mr. Cronin, you are 

recognized for 5 minutes whenever you are ready. 

STATEMENT OF JOHN CRONIN 

Mr. JOHN CRONIN. Good morning, Chairman Chabot, Ranking 

Member Vela ́zquez and members of Committee. My name is John 

Cronin, and I am the Co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer of 

John’s Crazy Socks. Thank you for inviting me to be here today as 

a representative and self-advocate of the National Down Syndrome 

Society. 

I have Down syndrome and Down syndrome never holds me 

back. I am 22 years old and I work hard every day to show the 

world that people with Down syndrome are ready, willing and able 

to work. Giving us a chance and we can be successful. 

I founded this business with my dad, Mark. It was my idea and 

I came up with the name. We have a mission to spread happiness. 

I love my business. 

In the fall of 2016 I began my last year of school. I was ready 

to work. I did not need more school. I did not need more training. 

I wanted a good job like my brothers Patrick and Jamie. I told my 

dad that I wanted to go into business with him. We opened John’s 

Crazy Socks in December 2016. 

We show everyday what is possible. We show can work a great 

business. We have a ship over 100,000 orders and make over 300 

million. I want you to know what people like us, like me can do. 

Give a chance to us. 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. Thank you. Good job. John is a hard act 

to follow. My name is Mark Cronin and I am John’s father and 

partner in John’s Crazy Socks. Last year, the National Down Syndrome Society launched the End Law Syndrome Campaign. A national effort to spotlight those laws that hinder individuals with 

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Down syndrome and other disabilities from fulfilling their aspirations. As John puts it, Down syndrome doesn’t hold me back, Law 

Syndrome does. 

In my written testimony I address many of the specific legal 

changes we need to dismantle Law Syndrome. I want to highlight 

tow this morning. John already told you we have been fortunate 

enough to create 33 jobs, 15 of which are held by people with differing abilities. We have a unified work place. That leads to better 

morale, better retention and better productivity and we hire people 

not out of altruism but because it is good business. 

We pay our minimum wage is $12 an hour. That’s $1 more than 

the New York state minimum wage on Long Island. Our colleagues 

do not do minimal work so we don’t pay them a minimum wage. 

The sad reality is that we could pay much less and these people 

and their families would still like them to come to work and that 

is because of the scarcity of good jobs for people with differing abilities. 

But that would be wrong. Taking advantage of vulnerable workers may put more money in a business bank account but it would 

be morally bankrupt. 

I was dismayed to learn that the section 14(c) of the Fair Labor 

Act of 1938 allows employers to pay people with a disability less 

than a minimum wage. This may have been acceptable in 1938 and 

that was a time when my son would have been institutionalized. 

But it’s not acceptable today. It is outrageous that we sanction 

such discrimination. 

People with disabilities can and do provide valuable work and 

should not be paid a wage that allows even well-meaning organizations to take advantage of their labors. It is time that all workers 

receive a fair wage for fair labor. 

We ask that you support the TIME Act, HR 1377, a bipartisan 

bill that would phase out the practice of paying subminimum wage. 

I also want to address the need to alter our Medicaid laws. They, 

so they support people of differing abilities and not hinder them. 

Our colleagues with disabilities work part-time. Why? Because if 

they work too many hours why will lose their Medicaid and they 

cannot afford to do so. I want you to take Matt, one of our colleagues who has Asperger’s. He started work with us as a sock 

wrangler, that’s what we call our pickers at our pick and pack 

warehouse. And he has now shown a talent so he is writing for our 

website. Matt would love to work 40 hours a week but cannot because he cannot afford to lose his Medicaid. Don’t we all want Matt 

to work full-time? I know I do. Then why have laws that limit how 

much he can work? 

And my son John here is a classic entrepreneur. He doesn’t receive any benefits right now but he is entitled to them and likely 

will need them in the future and then he would have to choose between his benefits and his business. Do we want to prevent people 

from engaging in entrepreneurship? 

It is time to decouple the poor from the disabled in our means 

tested programs so that people with differing abilities can work 

full-time and maximize their contributions to society. We want to 

encourage people to work, to find meaning in that work and to pay 

taxes so let’s remove the disincentives to work. 

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Those are just two of the laws that discourage people with disabilities from becoming active and productive participants in their 

communities. Mr. Chairman and Committee members, lets show 

the amazing things that people with differing abilities can do. Give 

everyone a chance to demonstrate that they are ready, willing and 

able to work. Thank you for your time. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. Ms. Ireland, you are 

recognized for 5 minutes. 

STATEMENT OF LORI IRELAND 

Ms. IRELAND. Hi, I’m Lori Ireland. Thank you, Mr. Chabot and 

Ms. Vela ́zquez. I am the elected chair as noted of the—Vice Chair 

of the Autism Society of America but I am here really as one of the 

founders of Extraordinary Ventures in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 

I am sure everybody is aware of the statistics that come out from 

the CDC, et cetera. Angela, I think has mentioned the low employment amongst people with IDD. Extraordinary Ventures we founded in 2007 because and I’m going a little off script here so don’t 

get mad. Because a group of us decided, you know, after age 22 it’s 

called the cliff. There is, once you are out of the IDEA, covered 

under IDEA in the public schools, there is virtually nothing for 

you. 

Now there are lots of rules and regulations that you all are told 

about, not enforced. So one of the important things that your Committee and our government at large is first of all enforce the proper 

rules and make sure the states are in compliance. 

We have an operating budget of just over a million dollars. We 

are 80 percent business revenues and 20 percent private donations. 

We have 50 tax paying employees. They all, we think and this is 

an important distinction, we think most of them have a developmental disability. We don’t have, we don’t accept any government 

funding directly nor are we a medical facility so we don’t know anybody’s diagnosis. I think we could agree that if we knew that they 

wouldn’t be allowed to work together. 

It is the way the people with IDD are treated in our society is 

a civil rights violation in my opinion. The—anyone else can choose 

to live together or work together except our people. If they are 

identified as special needs then you have, it can only be two or this 

or that and that’s ridiculous. We need to provide opportunities to 

everyone that wants to work and if they want to live or work together that should be fine. 

We have accomplished our mission through old fashioned business practices. We operate real businesses. We decided we would 

run for profit businesses under a not for profit umbrella. So what 

we do is we match the skills of the people who apply for a job with 

jobs so if somebody likes to cook, we don’t have cooking but we can 

make candles which is essentially the same thing. 

So again, usually when you are running a small business you are 

solving at the bottom line for profit. We are solving for hours of employment. And our people are fabulous. We do not compete in any 

of our goods or services based on a disability. We operate in the 

real market at the same competitive rate as everyone else and that 

is the only way it can remain sustainable in our opinion. 

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We run six businesses currently. A pickup and delivery laundry 

business. I live in Chapel Hill so when I went to college I had to 

do my own laundry but nobody does now so and we are the preferred provider with a very long waiting list because we do the best 

job. We do not—the students and the private citizens who contract 

with us don’t know until several bags in that most of the people 

have a developmental disability that are doing their laundry. So 

these are real small business. 

Another one is a bulk mailing operation which is sort of back office kind of things. We have a gifts business. As I mentioned we 

make candles, lip balm, soaps, other things in order to capture that 

market and the people who want to cook without having to get into 

all the rules and regulations of food. 

We have an EV pet business which has turned out about absolutely wonderful. These people are in the community, walking people’s pets and you will just love some of these stories because we 

have a lot of senior citizens that contract mainly so that I think 

they can have the person come over and visit them every day. It’s 

not—it is a win win situation. They bake cookies for Ewan because 

he is coming over to walk their dog. It’s wonderful. 

We also have a contract with the city of Chapel Hill and a certain line of buses. We have a bus cleaning crew because that is 

something we actually compete on a contractual basis with other 

vendors and that’s something that can easily be regimented to a 

schedule. We also run an event center and that does not employ 

as many of our people as we would like but it does throw off revenue so that we can employee people in other businesses. 

I think our key and I’m almost out of time is that we have flexibility to move people between businesses because your—the parent 

or guardian will come in and be absolutely certain they know what 

the person is good at and what they want to do. We find out that 

isn’t always the case and we can slide them around amongst different business. 

I also want to—I know I’m over time but we employee all parts 

of the spectrum. We have people who are college graduates and 

drive themselves to work and we have people who have to be 

helped in the door. We need your help as Mr. Cronin was saying 

to be able to support our people without them losing their benefits. 

Because you can’t—we pay everybody. Minimum wage at least. 

And while I do advocate eventually getting rid of what we call supported workshops please don told that without replacing it with 

something else. There are many people in there that have worked 

there their whole lives. And if you just throw the baby out with the 

bath water we will have an even worse problem. I have a whole 

lot of other things I was supposed to say but my colleague said 

them so thank you very much. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much and we will now 

move to the questioning and I will recognize myself for 5 minutes 

and I will start with you if I can, Mr. Friedman. How can we make 

business aware of the value individuals with autism for example 

can bring to the work force and move past maybe some hesitation 

that some people might have to hire them due to a perceived challenge or risk factors or whatever? 

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Mr. FRIEDMAN. There are an increasing number of organizations, Autonomy-Works, Extraordinary Ventures and others, that 

are starting to create case studies. One of our objectives is to 

change the way the world views people with autism. We are trying 

to create a story that can be told by organizations like Autism 

Speaks and others through the small business network to explain 

to people where successes have happened and to share some of the 

tools, techniques, and processes we have learned to make people 

successful in our place. We are starting to get the stories and now 

it is time to expand those and amplify them. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you. Ms. Geiger, I will turn to you 

next if I can. Are there incentives available to encourage business 

to higher people with developmental disabilities? Are there various 

things that they may—there may be an incentive or a reward or 

whatever term you want to use? 

Ms. GEIGER. I think some of the most important incentives are 

actually intrinsic to the hiring process of people with autism and 

other disabilities. We are finding that it is really increasing the 

productivity, retention, quality of work. Amazon, for example, did 

a pilot project in their pick and pack facility and found that the 

people with autism were out performing other employers so—or 

employees. And so the other thing is with the millennial generation 

coming into the work force, they are used to integrated environments and there have an expectation what people with autism and 

other disabilities are part of the workforce. 

Chairman CHABOT. Very good. Thank you. Ms. Ireland, I will 

turn to you next if I can. Are there any common misconceptions 

about employing individuals with developmental disabilities and if 

so what can be done to address those misconceptions that perhaps 

others out there may have? 

Ms. IRELAND. I think just exposure and education. If as my 

gentleman over here has pointed out, Mr. Friedman, and myself, 

we are—people that work for us sometimes leave us and go on to 

other jobs because now they have experience, they have learned 

how to be an employee. And they have proved to be wonderful. 

Others are celebrating 10 years working for us and it’s the only job 

they have ever had. But the point is people need to get out there. 

Angela mentioned transition services. This is—we really need to 

get people to understand our people are really good employees. The 

retention rate is practically 100 percent and they are very productive members but you have to see those people. We have to give 

an opportunity for everybody in our world to see them. And by running our small businesses in our community everybody knows us 

and so they steal some of our employees but that’s okay. 

Chairman CHABOT. Very good. Thank you. Mr. Cronin, I was 

going to ask your son but I will ask you, I know he is having some 

challenges coughing there which there is a lot going around right 

now. But I wanted to clue you in to a potential customer that you 

may want to consider. We had an election a while back, the gentleman is smiling down there from Utah and Jason Chaffetz left so 

there was an opening, an open seat there and John Curtis won that 

seat. And I read this in, I don’t know if it was Roll Call or The Hill 

or Politico or something but he is known for like being a collector 

of like really cool socks. 

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And I was touring small businesses back in my district, I represent Cincinnati and it was—one of them happened to be a sock 

shop and they had some really cool socks. So I told them about 

John Curtis and so they gave me some socks to give to him and 

I actually finally got around to giving them to him last week, I 

don’t know if he has got them on now, I’m guessing no, but I think 

there is a possible customer right here for your son. He is from 

Utah. His name is John Curtis and, John, how any socks do you 

have now or different, cool socks? 

Mr. CURTIS. Well, Mr. Chairman, somebody once asked me to 

count and I stopped at 300. 

Chairman CHABOT. Okay. So in any event you might want to 

talk to your son about a potential Utah customer. 

Mr. JOHN CRONIN. I think we can help. If I could I would like 

to add on to the last question. 

Chairman CHABOT. Yes, go right ahead. 

Mr. JOHN CRONIN. I know part of our mission is to show what 

is possible. We want people to see what our workplace is like that, 

you know, it’s a unified work place, people with differing abilities 

side by side with neuro typical people. It makes it a better place 

so when people come in and see that, that opens their minds to 

what is possible and I know part of what we do is we take that 

process and turn it into content that we share on social media. We 

are going so far as to create a John’s Crazy Socks network that are 

going to feature shows, you know, put online that are hosted by or 

feature people with disabilities. Just so the world can see. 

Chairman CHABOT. Yes, thank you very much. 

Mr. JOHN CRONIN. The more people see the better off we will 

be. 

Chairman CHABOT. And my time is expired but I might just 

mention that in our last hearing we had a young man who had 

started up a popcorn store that’s gone nationwide and worldwide 

and universe wide and he has been making a lot of money and 

they’re doing well and they’ve hired a lot of people and so these stories are all very inspirational. And, I mean, we ought to be doing 

a whole lot more of this so thank you. Thank you very much. And 

my time as I say is expired and I yield to the gentlelady for 5 minutes. Thank you. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all. 

It has been quite inspirational hearing to hear so many beautiful 

stories. And so we need to look at ways where we can improve the 

information that gets out there because at a time when unemployment rate is so low, this offers a real opportunity. 

My first question is, have any of you reached out to the Small 

Business Administration to see how we can best bring that information to the small business community? Ms. Geiger? 

Ms. GEIGER. We haven’t done that in a formal way yet but I 

think it’s a really interesting opportunity for us because at Autism 

Speaks we have actually created took kits for employers that they 

can access free of charge. We have training for businesses who 

want to learn how to do this and so I think that that might be a 

fantastic venue to get more people aware of the opportunities. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Sure. Mr. Friedman? 

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Mr. FRIEDMAN. We have worked a little bit with the Small 

Business Administration looking for opportunities where we could 

collaborate. We host lots of people, two or three groups a week, at 

our facility to help explain what we do and how we do it. We talk 

about ourselves as an open source business and we share a lot of 

what we do. We would be very interested in collaborating with the 

Small Business Administration to speak or to create case studies 

or to talk to particular organizations interested in hiring people 

with disabilities. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Great. Ms. Ireland, have you ever had? 

Ms. IRELAND. Yes. We have really gone the route of not using 

those sources because again it introduces a lot of complexity and 

difficulty and road blocks actually. So instead my husband and I 

in our private foundation along on a project with Autism Speaks 

some years ago we went around the United States and visited all 

these small business. We then ran town hall meetings in about 

eight or nine cities, I can’t remember and then we culminated that 

in a conference in Chapel Hill where all these small businesses, including the popcorn guy, came together and it was such a joyful 

event because it showed what you can do if you just try. Say you 

have 5 families and maybe they saved for their child to go to college and they’re not going to college. Just with that much investment you can start a business and employ people as we do. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you. Mr. Cronin, what are the biggest 

barriers your son has faced as a young adult preparing to leave 

high school and transition into employment? 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. Ms. Ireland refer to the 22 year old cliff. 

In New York, we call it the 21 year old cliff. Right. You finish 

school and this is kind of my large scale view of it. We have made 

tremendous strides in the medical area with John for example. He 

had intestinal bypass surgery on day 3 and open heart surgery before he was 3 months old. That would not have happened 10 years 

earlier, right. 

We have done a pretty good job in the schools. It can always bet 

better. So we have people who are healthy, who are trained and 

then they hit that 21 year old cliff and there is nothing. We have 

this vast untapped pool of labor. And which is a great national resource and we are not able to put them to work. Employers need 

to be able to see past that first impression. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Yes. 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. To see what the skills that people have as 

opposed to what they can’t do. And some of that I don’t think we 

can make them but we have to let them see through example how 

this is a benefit and they’re not really going to have a choice because there is this growing shortage of labor and we have this pool 

of people that are ready, willing and able to work and they are 

great employees. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Friedman, one of 

the common misconceptions about hiring individuals with disabilities is the need for costly accommodations in the work place. Can 

you elaborate on the actions Autonomy Works took to accommodate 

its workforce? 

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Right. We have discovered that the cost of accommodations is very low. We have very small accommodations for 

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people. We have a sensory room where people can go take a break 

if they become overwhelmed from a sensory perspective. A number 

of people have headphones and so forth but the average accommodation for our associates is less than $100. 

Ms. VELA ́ ZQUEZ. Okay. My time has expired 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. The gentlelady’s 

time is just about to expire so the gentleman from Kansas, Mr. 

Marshall, is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. MARSHALL. All right. Well, thanks so much. I just, I wish 

John was in here to tell him but, you know, today we are going to 

meet astronauts, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Transportation. I met Peter Navarro, but John Friedman is the most inspirational person I will meet today. And that is just the message 

of hope I would give everybody. I am so impressed that, you know, 

this concept that a job brings value to people and that—and that’s 

what folks want. I have been able to visit 6, 7, maybe 8 different 

facilities that give work opportunities to folks with disabilities and 

just to see the happiness, the hop in their step is a great thing. 

You know, what else can we do to empower you? We have got 

legislation you have talked about. What else can we do to empower 

as a Congress to put wind beneath your sails. Anything else that 

you all might mention you want to talk about? 

Ms. IRELAND. May I go first? 

Mr. MARSHALL. Yes. 

Ms. IRELAND. Okay. Increase the substantial gainful activity 

level at least to the level of those who are blind. Substantially increase the resource limit for SSI and annually indexed for inflation. 

Enact simplification of work incentives including allowing ongoing 

presumptive reentitlement to Title II disability benefits and ongoing eligibility for Medicare for those whose benefits and for those 

who lose benefits to be continue to be employed. Provide cash assistance outside of Social Security to assist working individuals 

with disabilities in meeting their disability related costs regardless 

of their income or assets. Enact technical and substantive changes 

to the Ticket to Work and work incentives programs to ensure the 

law works as intended. Protect the Affordable Care Act and provide 

incentives to states to expand Medicaid authorized by the law. Support the Able Act and bills to expand it. Thank you. 

Mr. MARSHALL. All right. And those last comments were meant 

for John Cronin, sorry, Mr. Friedman, if I said you. I meant it for 

John, he had stopped out a little bit. Mr. Cronin, anything else you 

would add to help empower you all? 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. I only half-jokingly say John and I are a 

couple of knuckleheads from Long Island running a sock company. 

We don’t have any special training. We hire people. We make accommodations that any employer would make for any employee. 

The biggest hurdle we see are the limits that our employees face 

to work and that is because they’re dependent on their Medicaid 

and that’s means tested and that runs contrary to wanting people 

to work. So we have to find the way to decouple that so that people 

can work to the fullest extent possible and still receive the benefits 

they need to support themselves. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Okay. I mean, I would just add that we need 

to drive the cost of healthcare down so you can afford to purchase 

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15 

health insurance for these employees again equal footing with the 

other types of—— 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. Well, there is one thing to know. We do 

provide health insurance for our employees. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Great. 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. But Medicaid provides services that traditional health insurance doesn’t provide that is essential for people 

with disabilities. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Right. And that is why it is so important that 

we prioritize Medicaid dollars for those who need them the most. 

As opposed to people who are fully employable but choose not to 

be. Mr. Friedman, did you have something you wanted to add? 

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Yes, first of all I would agree with everything 

that these folks said. Two other things. Transportation ends up 

being a significant issue for many of our employees. Some of our 

employees commute as far as 90 minutes to get to work so improved infrastructure for transportation would allow more people to 

work at a location like ours. 

And second, the WIOA spending bill calls out investment in people with disabilities and we would encourage Congress to maintain 

the flexibility in those numbers so that we can continue to innovate 

and try to create new ways to hire people with disabilities as opposed to just investing in old ways. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Okay. Ms. Geiger, we have got 30 seconds left 

if you want to add something. 

Ms. GEIGER. Sure. I would just reiterate this idea of starting 

early. You know, there are systems and laws and acts in place and 

starting to plan for employment in adulthood at 14 is something 

that parents and people with autism themselves really need to be 

aware of and take advantage of the resources that are available 

within the school system so that you are successful when you leave 

the school system. 

Mr. MARSHALL. Thank you and I yield back. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. And 

the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Evans, who is a Ranking 

Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access, is recognized for 5 minutes and I would like to compliment him as well as other members on both sides of the aisle 

who had bills passed on the floor of the House yesterday. Almost 

all of them were bipartisan and this is one Committee that actually 

works together in a bipartisan manner and I want to commend the 

Ranking Member for that as well. So the gentleman is recognized. 

Mr. EVANS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank 

you and the Ranking Member for both your leadership on allowing 

all of us to participate so I thank you. 

And I do want to stress that I have not met anybody who doesn’t 

want to work. I think that is very important to stress because in 

my district, Temple University, the College of Education has an institute on disability. They match eligible people with intellectual 

and development disability to unpaid internships at Temple University Hospital and Temple University in Philadelphia. The goal 

of achieving long term and part time employment. 

What can we do to promote greater partnerships through these 

small business owners and local universities to help people with 

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disabilities as well as how can we expand this cross fertilization of 

local universities expertise to promote the employment of people 

with disabilities and small business. So that is for the panel. Two 

questions asked. 

Mr. FRIEDMAN. The local community system, particularly the 

community college system provides a great opportunity to transition people as they finish transition programs. People have talked 

about a 21 or 22 years old and it’s a place to go to start to develop 

skills. We recently participated in an initiative with the vocational 

rehabilitation group in Illinois, the Department of Commerce and 

Economic Opportunity, and the local community college to identify 

people with disabilities, jointly enroll them in training at Autonomy-Works and the community college and employ supports from 

the state to enable them to transition into jobs. We ended up hiring 

10 people at Autonomy-Works and trained and offered apprenticeships to more than 50 through that program. 

Mr. EVANS. Any other person on the panel? 

Ms. IRELAND. Yes, I would like to go. When we founded Extraordinary Ventures it was growing pretty slowly and so I yielded 

my board seat to my husband who is a more creative thinker than 

I am and he got this idea of tapping into the social entrepreneurship sort of spirit in the United States and again I live in a college 

town, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill is right there. You 

have lots of young people. 

Analogous to teach for America they want to be social entrepreneurs. They want to come out. They don’t necessarily have any 

experience with disabilities but they get to run businesses and 

start new business and learn a whole different part of society and 

they work a little less expensively than your typical employee. So 

I think tapping into the universities and that spirit of social entrepreneurship amongst neuro typicals would be very helpful. 

Mr. EVANS. Thanks. 

Ms. GEIGER. One of the other things that’s really important is 

getting the word out. Hearings like these, replicating services, and 

one of the things we are really working on and toward at Autism 

Speaks is really cataloging and codifying these kind of best practices so that when someone is working in a local university or a 

local college they don’t have the reinvent the wheel. Gosh, here is 

what works really well at Temple or here is what works really well 

at another university. And replication should happen as fast as we 

can make it. 

Mr. EVANS. I would like to go to John. John, how can we help 

schools better assist those with disabilities enter the work force? 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. The schools there are two general things 

that they are addressing. There is generally life skills and they do 

a pretty good job on that. It is more the transition skills and specific job skills that could be used in the community so that’s I think 

doing a better job of matching local schools with businesses so the 

schools know what jobs are out in their local business. 

I know some of what we do, we host school tours so we have 6 

to 8 schools that come each week to visit our office and warehouse 

and we host school work experience groups that they will bring a 

group in once a week for an hour or two just to know what it is 

like to get in the workplace. I think those are the types of proSBR002 with DISTILLER

17 

grams that would help make that transition from schooling to employment. 

Mr. EVANS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance 

of my time. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. The gentleman 

yields back. The gentleman from Utah, Mr. Curtis, is recognized for 

5 minutes. 

Mr. CURTIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member 

for holding this hearing. I can’t tell you how pleased I was to hear 

that there was a John coming to talk about crazy socks. And Washington, D.C. has lots of problems and one of those is too many boring socks. And I have been trying to work with my colleagues to 

get them to take the lunge and not having a lot of success and so 

maybe John can help me. And I believe we have an appointment 

later in the day and look forward to expressing my admiration to 

him. He was pretty brave to be here this morning. And look forward to a discussion with him. 

Chairman CHABOT. If the gentleman would yield for just a moment—— 

Mr. CURTIS. Please. 

Chairman CHABOT. I, you might have a better audience with 

our democratic friends. Maybe the Republicans, we are just kind of 

concerned about our socks—— 

Mr. CURTIS. They are more progressive with things and maybe 

socks is one of those right. 

Chairman CHABOT. Maybe wrong but—— 

Mr. CURTIS. I think John has probably found this but they 

make people smile. And they make people happy. I was mayor of 

my town back in Provo and I found that by wearing a fun pair of 

socks people would stop and talk to me that wouldn’t otherwise 

talk to me and I found myself pulling up my pant legs every three 

or four feet down the road showing people my socks. So my hat is 

off to him and what he has been able to accomplish. 

I do have a couple of questions and maybe start with you, Mr. 

Cronin, and the others please jump in. I have been thinking a lot 

about your comments about equal pay and to be honest its changed 

a little of a paradigm in my mind and so if you don’t mind I would 

just like to kind of explore that with you and if I show some biases 

in my paradigm, please forgive me because I am just trying to now 

understand what you have told me that I haven’t really heard before. 

And my assumption before this was that there were a lot of benefits to providing opportunities for people with disabilities to work. 

One of which was compensation but there were many other benefits as well. Can you just help me get my arms around that as I 

would, might have an opportunity to approach employers and lobby 

for your requests and help me understand how, the whole picture 

of working? 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. The work is important. Particularly here in 

the States, right. What do we ask somebody? What do you do? You 

meet somebody, what do you do? So having the job gives value and 

meaning to people. The wage is part of it. The wage, we don’t feel 

better necessarily by being paid more but if we are underpaid that 

gnaws at us and that applies to everybody because if you are unSBR002 with DISTILLER

18 

derpaid you feel undervalued. What we find is people are doing 

work of real value. And I understand about the sheltered workshops but they are people doing real value there too. And we ought 

to be paying them at least the minimum wage. That’s part of what 

they’re getting, what they should be getting at work because everybody gets at work. 

And we do find that we do have some, you know, we think of 

them as they have evolved into special programs for our differing 

abled employees because we are always helping them learn things. 

So a small thing we gave everybody an email address even if they 

didn’t have a computer to use and we showed them, we put it on 

their phone so everybody would learn how to communicate via 

email. And we gave everybody a business card because that gave 

them some pride in their job and we make it pay. They have a discount on the back of it and we have a discount contest going on. 

We run programs now, we think of it as a program, of at least 

once a month we have an after hours work program. So last week 

we took them to a dinner. We took everybody in the company to 

a dinner hosted by the Chamber of Commerce because a lot of our 

folks don’t have those social opportunities. So here is a way for 

them to get out without necessarily mom and dad to learn how to 

carry themselves. 

The wage becomes part of that. If we want them to be independent, if we want them to carry their weight in society, we have 

to pay a fair wage and so when we turn and say you’re worth 

less—we have a bad history in this country of telling people they’re 

worth less than other folks in the country and we shouldn’t be 

doing that with the differing abled. We should recognize what they 

do and one way to do that is with pay. 

Mr. CURTIS. Thank you. Unfortunately I am almost out of time 

but let me just emphasize that and thank you for helping me understand that as well as treating them equally with things like 

email addresses and the many other things that you listed. As you 

explain it it seems so obvious to me but I am not sure we have all 

thought about it. 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. Its, none of what we do is rocket science. 

It’s fairly basic. Like I say and John will be back in a minute, we 

are a couple knuckleheads from Long Island running a sock business. And you’re just treating people well and it turns out they respond better and are better employees because of it. 

Mr. CURTIS. Thank you. I am out of time but I look forward to 

seeing John and his knuckleheaded father a little in the day, later 

in the day. I yield my time, thank you. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you. The gentlelady from American 

Samoa, Ms. Radewagen, who is the Chairman of the Subcommittee 

on Health and Technology is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Good morning and thank you, Chairman 

Chabot, Ranking Member Vela ́zquez for holding this hearing. 

Thank you all for testifying here today. I think I am going to go 

back to Mr. Cronin and direct my questions to you although they 

have been partially answered along the way. 

I think that John, John’s success story is an inspiration not only 

because of what he has been able to accomplish but also because 

of the challenges he, you, his parents, and so many other people 

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with Down syndrome have had to overcome to achieve their aspirations. 

In fact, my sister Seena Tiana Coleman, she was born with Down 

syndrome and she just passed away at the age of 59, exactly one 

week ago on May 1. And we learned so much from her. We were 

13 children and she taught us about the joys over the simple things 

in life, you know, and unconditional love. But soon after she was 

born, the doctors said that she should be institutionalized and not 

to ever put any assets into her name. Well, my parents didn’t pay 

much attention to that and they raised her, she got an education 

and she led a very active life and an independent life as long as 

there was an adult not too far from where she was. 

But at any rate, so you have told us about some of the challenges 

you faced along the way and whether it was getting the appropriate education or getting access to the support and services that 

John needed. John is your son, right? Or is it Mark? Yes, you are 

Mark and John needed to—— 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. I’m his chauffeur. 

Mrs. RADEWAGEN.—to ensure that opportunities that are 

available to all Americans would be available to people like John 

and my sister Seena. 

So I think you have partially answered this but what advice 

would you give to future entrepreneurs and their families who look 

up to John’s success? 

Mr. MARK CRONIN. Well, if you look at what we did, you know, 

the story is John was in his last year of school. He wanted, he had 

already had a job working with me in an office. He wanted meaningful work. It was plain to him one way to do it was create something himself. So he came and said I want to go into business with 

you. He had a couple of nonstarter ideas. We could tell you about 

the food truck. But when he came and said we should sell socks 

and he had the name and drawings of a website, it was really a 

matter of lets go test it. 

There is a lean start up movement in this country that instead 

of spending a lot of time on business plans, go and test it and you 

will find out. You will find out whether or not people respond and 

then learn as you go. When people approach us, I don’t have any 

magic answers. I encourage people if you have an idea go and find 

out. Go and take that chance. The worst thing that happens is you 

lose your startup money and for a business like this, that was a 

couple thousand dollars. That’s, I wish I had a better answer to, 

you know, do A, B, and C but it is, you know, John has to be like 

any other entrepreneur. If you get an idea go out and stand in the 

marketplace and see if it is going to succeed. 

Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you very much. The gentlelady 

yields back and I think on behalf of all the members of the Committee we wish you condolences for the loss of your sister Seena. 

As you may know I lost my brother two weeks ago as well so we 

have got lots of, yes, he was my older brother. He was a Democrat 

by the way too. I was the only Republican he ever voted for so. I 

think he voted for me. He said he did but no, he was a great guy. 

In any event, I think the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. 

Norman is next. He is recognized for 5 minutes. 

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Mr. NORMAN. Thank you so much. I appreciate you all, your 

being here and this is moving to see your son. We, my office takes 

part in the Mason Light program and I am a small business guy. 

We run a construction company, development company and what 

would help and I know we have tried and we have had hired those 

with disabilities. I don’t need to tell you it’s a litigious society. The 

trial argues everywhere and as a small business owner, we want 

to find ways to hire people with disabilities. 

What would help from a practical side is to reach out to the businesses to say you have a particular child with, that has a talent 

that may be good at something with construction which is what we 

do. Or a particular field of mixing mortar for a masons job. And 

then I will tell you it is not going to, I don’t have to have government to tell me what I am going to have to pay. We will pay over 

because of just of the nature of helping somebody. 

So that would help in my mind to—as you move forward and as 

you want to find ways, all the questions have been asked but from 

a practical standpoint, reach out to us and say what need do you 

have? Then I have this particular individual with a disability. He 

can do I think give him a chance. I don’t think there is a business 

in this country that wouldn’t reach out and try to accommodate because it is the goodness of people that wants to help your son but 

we just don’t know a lot of times and you get so busy running your 

company, I don’t have time to go to the vocational rehab and see 

who is there but reach back out to us. That would pay dividends 

in my mind. But thank you for what you are doing. You are bringing things to light that is very useful and again, it is moving to see. 

Chairman CHABOT. Does the gentleman yield back? Yes. 

Mr. NORMAN. Yes, I am sorry, I yield back. 

Chairman CHABOT. Thank you. The gentleman yields back. We 

want to thank the witnesses here and the members on both sides 

today. I would like to recognize somebody else who is in the audience here, Chip Gerhardt who is from my district. I don’t know if 

Chip is the head of the Down Syndrome Society? 

Mr. GERHARDT. Former board chair. 

Chairman CHABOT. Former board chair. That’s right. And 

Chip’s daughter Ann has been an inspiration to me and all the rest 

of Cincinnati over the years as we have watched her grow up and 

is now, you know, a wonderful young woman who is working. Isn’t 

she working at Kroger? 

Mr. GERHARDT. Kroger. 

Chairman CHABOT. Yes. So she is great and I have learned a 

lot just be interacting with her and a lot of other great constituents 

of mine back in Cincinnati who have Down syndrome or autism or 

a whole range of other challenges in life. And this hearing is about 

the most inspirational hearing that we have had since the one we 

had about two years ago. And it was basically the same topic and 

so thank you. And, Mark, thanks. You have got a great son. We 

are really happy that we got to meet him today and we hope you 

sell a lot of socks in the future and I wasn’t kidding when I said 

the guy from down there, he is, he will keep you in business for 

a long time on his own I think. 

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21 

But in any event, we would ask unanimous consent that all 

members have 5 legislative days to submit statements and supporting materials for the record. Without objection, so ordered. 

And if there is no further business to come before the Committee, 

certainly there couldn’t be anything that has been more inspiring 

than this morning and now into this afternoon. We are adjourned. 

Thank you very much. 

[Whereupon, at 12:08 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.] 

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22 

A P P E N D I X 

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Good morning Chairman Chabot, Ranking Member Velazquez and Members of the Committee. Thank 

you for the opportunity to speak to you today about a topic that is of great importance to the autism 

community: how small businesses empower people with developmental disabilities to work. 

I am Angela Timashenka Geiger, President and CEO of Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is dedicated to 

promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with 

autism and their families. We do this through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and 

acceptance of autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions 

for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. 

While we work on issues across the lifespan, Autism Speaks places a significant emphasis on supporting 

adults on the spectrum, in part by providing tools and resources to expand employment opportunities 

and workplace supports for individuals with autism. One of our community's most daunting challengesfinding and retaining employment- is being tackled by entrepreneurs and small businesses. Across the 

country, small businesses are utilizing their unique flexibility to create accommodating and innovative 

business practices that sustainably employ individuals with autism, expose students earlier in their 

education to real-world work experience, and provide opportunities for work-based learning and 

technical skill attainment. 

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you about some of the overarching themes and 

trends in autism employment. 

The employment rates of adults with disabilities are about half of people without disabilities; the 

employment rates of individuals with autism are lower still. According to the State Employment 

Leadership Network's 2016 National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes, the workforce 

participation rate for adults with cognitive disabilities is less than 25 percent- ten percent lower than 

1990 K Street, 2"' Floor • Washington, DC· 20006 • 'flj':IJjjillllii!]J§_Q!ill~f9 • (202) 955-3111 
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the participation rate for adults with any other type of disability.' When employed, people with these 

disabilities are more likely to work part-time and earn much less than those with less significant 

disabilities-' The need to close this employment gap is clear: each year, an estimated 50,000 youth with 

autism transition from school into adult life, and over half are disconnected from work or further 

education and training. 3 

Some of the barriers to employment for people with autism stem from difficulty with communication 

and social interaction. Unfortunately, these challenges are often amplified in typical employment 

scenarios- such as in a traditional interview process, daily interaction with coworkers, or even traveling 

to the workplace. Many such barriers can be mitigated through appropriate accommodations, tailored 

to the individual and implemented by the employer. These accommodations are often free or 

inexpensive. Employers benefit significantly by including a neuro-diverse workforce that contributes to 

overall productivity and an enriched social climate.' 

Small businesses, by far, form the "economic engine" of the United States economy and employ 65 

percent of the workforce today. 5 Despite this, a lower percentage of people with disabilities, and more 

specifically those with autism, are employed in small businesses. 6 Autism Speaks believes this is an 

opportunity to improve. 

in Disability 

While employment opportunities for people with disabilities have substantially improved since the 

Great Recession, the gap, in comparison to those without disabilities, continues to persist at almost the 

same rate.' According to the March 2018 Jobs Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor 

participation rate of people with disabilities age 16-64 was 34.8 percent -less than half of that for 

people without disabilities (76.7 percent)." Women with disabilities have lower rates of employment 

than their male counterparts? 

However, despite the continued low rates of disability employment, progress is being made. In the last 

year, employment rates for people with disabilities have increased (up from 32.3 percent in March 

1

Winsor, J., Timmons, J., Butterworth, J., Shepard, J., Landa, C., Smith, F., Domin, D., Migliore, A., Bose, J., & 

Landim, L. (2017). StateData: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes 2016. Boston, MA: 

University of Massachusetts Boston, Institute for Community Inclusion. 

2

Winsor, et aL 

3

Roux, A., Shattuck, P., Rast, J., Rava, Julianna A., & Anderson, K. (2015). National Autism Indicators Report: 

Transition into Young Adulthood. Philadelphia, PA: Life Course Outcomes Research Program, A.J. Drexel Autism 

Institute, Drexel University. 

'Austin, R. D., & Pisano, G. P. (2017). Neurodiversity as a competitive advantage. Harvard Business Review, 

rete rived from: https :/ /hbr. org/2017 /05/neu rod iversity-as-a-competitive-advantage 5 https://www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/SmaiiBusinessFactSheet.pdf 

6 https:/ /www.dol.gov/odep/topics/SmaiiBusiness.htm 7 Livermore, G., & Honeycutt, T. (2015). Employment and economic well-being of people with disabilities before 

and after the Great Recession. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 26, 70- 79. 8United States Department of Labor. (2018, April). Table A-6. Employment status of the civilian population by sex, 

age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted. United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Retrieved from https:/ /www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit. t06.htm 91bid. 
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2017). 10 Disability employment has increased steadily over the last 24 months. 11 The rate of increase for 

workers with disabilities is greater than the rate for people without disabilities. These gains are 

encouraging, but much work remains to achieve parity in employment for people with and without 

disabilities. 

Trends in with Autism 

Despite the low employment rate of individuals with autism, research indicates that many adults with 

autism are willing and able to work. 12 There continues to be a significant increase in the demand for 

employment opportunities within the autism community. We have increasingly heard from selfadvocates, family members, service providers, and other community members about the need to create 

employment opportunities for adults with autism. 

Autism Speaks witnessed this increased demand at Small Business Town Hall meetings we held in cities 

across the United States. We testified about these activities before this Committee in 2016 and continue 

to see demand for replicable, promising practices and opportunities for small businesses. Employers 

continue to highlight the strengths and achievements of employees with autism and their resulting 

business success which further increases the interest among the autism and business communities to 

create work opportunities. 

As communities are demanding more employment opportunities for adults with autism, progress is also 

being made through the implementation of recently enacted federal and state policies. These include 

the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, which requires state vocational 

rehabilitation agencies to focus on serving transition-age youth with disabilities and support competitive 

integrated employment. In 2017, Autism Speaks began surveying states about the status of the 

implementation of WIOA and their efforts to serve individuals with autism. As we learn more from these 

efforts, we are beginning to identify emerging trends not only in best practices but also in service gaps. 

In addition, state Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) programs are increasingly 

reshaping their day services to focus less on non-paid activities and more on paid employment. Forty-six 

states have adopted Employment First initiatives which strive to make community employment the 

default outcome for people with disabilities receiving publicly funded services. 13 Autism Speaks is 

working hard at the local level to make sure the implementation of these policies is helping people with 

autism get jobs. 

On all levels, small businesses and entrepreneurs are responding to the increasing numbers of adults 

with autism who are eager to work. Through our continued work on employment, we have identified 

three trends in autism employment that we would like to highlight for the Committee today. 

101bid. 

nNational Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE). (2018). nTIDE March 2018 Jobs Report: Job Growth for 

Americans with Disabilities Reaches Two- Year Milestone. (2018). Retrieved from Research on Disability. 

l:lliJJsilLcse ar:~h ond i sab i lity. org/ news-featu resl£Q18/04/06/llil d c-n:wch-201 R·JPJ1s:L£!2\lr!:lQP_j5[9.\'Lt.hc.fQI:: 
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Missjon-Driven Businesses 

One of the most prevalent and rapidly reproduced autism employment models we have seen is the 

Mission-Driven Business, wherein a social entrepreneur creates a business whose mission is to hire 

people with autism or other developmental disabilities. Both AutonomyWorks and Extraordinary 

Ventures are great examples of this model and are providing a needed service to their local autism 

communities. Other successful businesses that follow this model include Rising Tide car wash in Florida, 

Puzzles Bakery in New York, and SMILE Biscotti in California. Although these businesses can be 

established in any market sector, we most frequently see bakeries and coffee shops, small item 

manufacturers and high-tech firms. 

Diversity I-I iring 

In recent years, a number of employers- including Microsoft, SAP, DXC, JPMorgan, Ernst & Young, and 

Ford- have announced autism employment initiatives. Most often these are initiatives undertaken by 

large corporations and firms that seek to diversify their workforce by hiring individuals with autism. 

Many of these firms participated in the Autism at Work annual conference at which Autism Speaks has 

participated. Attracted by the unique talents of individuals with autism, these larger firms actively seek 

out neuro-diverse college graduates. 

Many employers -large and small- are interested in developing similar hiring initiatives. Autism Speaks 

regularly connects businesses, service providers, and job seekers, and we are continuing to explore how 

best we can serve as a central connection point. We hope to systematize and track those connections 

and partnerships, utilizing our online platforms to collect and disseminate information about these 

corporate initiatives to job seekers on the spectrum. 

Micro-enterprises and Self-Ernployment 

The third major trend we see in autism employment is the increase in the number of micro-enterprises 

and small businesses established and operated by entrepreneurs with autism. John's Crazy Socks is a 

perfect example of how entrepreneurship can be a tremendously successful employment option for 

individuals with developmental disabilities. Previously this committee heard from another successful 

micro-enterprise- Poppin' Joe's Kettle Corn based in Kansas. Micro-enterprise and self-employment 

have been particularly successful for artists with autism who can generate income selling their works. 

Entrepreneurship offers a great level of flexibility and job customization that can be built around the 

individual with autism. 

In an effort to support these entrepreneurs, we are proud to host a page on our website called "Shop a 

Little, Help A Lot!". 14 This page features products and goods available for purchase that are created by 

individuals with autism. Customers can shop for gifts and treats while supporting the autism community. 

In addition to studying successful business models for autism employment, Autism Speaks is committed 

to becoming a central resource where employers of any scale can share strategies, best practices, and 

resources. In exploring these flexible approaches to promote employment of adults with autism, we 

have identified three overarching themes that have proven successful in increasing employment for 

people with autism- consultation, collaboration and community resources. 
26 

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Consultation 

Not all small businesses know how to recruit, retain, and advance individuals with autism. We believe 

that creating communities of experts and invested partners who can share information about 

accommodations and best practices is essential to helping small businesses unlock the potential of this 

untapped workforce. 

Since 2017, we have focused on bringing high-quality consultation to businesses interested in employing 

adults with autism. Teams of experienced corporate disability consultants recruited and supported by 

Autism Speaks and NEXT for AUTISM work with community organizations (such as employment service 

providers) and national and regional businesses interested in hiring people with autism. This has 

enabled us to assist companies to develop autism-focused disability hiring initiatives that build a diverse 

labor and customer pool while providing a positive return on investment. Cintas, Staples, Quest 

Diagnostics and a number of other companies are working with us on this effort. Each company receives 

consultation from a member of a team of national disability consultants- experienced professionals 

who have directed many of the most high-profile disability and inclusion projects in the country, 

including companies such as Walgreens, Best Buy, Office Depot/Max, PepsiCo, and Mercy Health. 

Professional consultation provides a wealth of information to businesses. Businesses often request 

autism and disability-related training for employees as well as specific training on how to develop job 

accommodations and leverage natural supports. In addition, consultants have helped employers learn 

how to source qualified employees and customers with autism and similar disabilities and how to 

capture tax- and other business-related incentives. Finally, businesses have leveraged content 

knowledge to market their work in this area successfully: businesses marketing the quality and 

usefulness of their product- as opposed to marketing the fact that the staff are people with autism -

have proven to have more successful campaigns. 

Our goal is to mobilize technical assistance experts and disability employment consultants across the 

country and make their expertise more accessible to the autism and small business communities. Rather 

than a "one size fits all" approach, technical assistance based on the individual needs, goals, and 

financial resources of each small business has proved hugely successful. We estimate that for every $1 

Autism Speaks invests in consulting, a person with autism will earn $27.38 in wages. We hope that 

others who invest in the space will see similar returns. 

Collaboration 

There are many organizations and businesses that are working towards increasing employment 

opportunities for adults with autism, and we have found that collaboration is a critical component to 

achieving success. Some promising collaborations we have developed include a database on 

AutismSpeaks.org and the Autism Employment Network on Linkedln where individuals can share 

information, learn from one another, and grow their networks in order to create greater opportunities 

for workers with autism. To further assist employers, we developed An Employer's Guide to Hiring and 

Retaining Employees with Autism Spectrum Disorder in collaboration with leading experts in the field, 

self-advocates and community members. 

Through ongoing partnership with Microsoft's autism hiring initiative, we sponsored the Autism 

Empowerment Kit. This resource provides employers guidance, recommendations, and strategies for 
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providing support and workplace accommodations to empower employees with autism throughout 

their careers. 15 

Autism Speaks formed a national funders' collaborative with Kessler Foundation, May and Stanley Smith 

Charitable Trust, NEXT for Autism, and Poses Family Foundation. This collaborative has committed more 

than $7.5 million since 2014 to support ground breaking work in disability and inclusion in employment. 

The collective funding allows private companies, non-profit organizations, schools and universities, and 

public agencies to work together in new and innovative ways to expand employment opportunities for 

individuals with disabilities. 

The collaborative supports the Pepsi ACT (Achieving Change Together) initiative as well as the US 

Business Leadership Network® (USBLN") "Going for the Gold" initiative. Forthcoming efforts will 

promote the establishment of public-private partnerships in local communities and the distribution of 

an Employer's Guide to Disability and Inclusion Programs to corporations around the U.S. 

This collaboration has also developed online tools and resources for employers designed to help 

companies recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities. These web-based supports include facts 

and case studies to show how disability inclusion drives business value as well as a do-it-yourself guide 

that will provide a business all the information it needs to start or enhance a disability employment and 

inclusion program in seven clear steps16 

Autism Speaks routinely collaborates with academic institutions, supporting their work with knowledge 

translation. This collaboration helps bring a "design thinking" framework in innovating for locally 

developed practices in employment. For example, Autism Speaks is advising Cornell University's YangTan Institute and DXC Technology in their efforts to scale-up their model towards employment solutions 

for people with autism. 

We are also working with other leaders in disability employment as well as state and federal 

policymakers to improve employment outcomes for adults with autism. Specifically, our Public Health & 

Inclusion Team is working with Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment and Policy-funded 

multi-agency effort to identify public policy and programmatic solutions that support employment 

outcomes and economic well-being of individuals with autism that are receiving welfare benefits. Along 

with inputs from Social Security Administration and other academic researchers, we are continuing to 

articulate employment-related support needs for individuals with autism. 

Finally, Autism Speaks has made the commitment to contract with businesses that employ people with 

autism. As other corporations do, we contract with other vendors to supply resources like t-shirts and 

items for our fund raising walks. Spectrum Designs- which employs people with autism- provides these 

materials for us and we are their largest client. 

Community 

Collaboration with employers and other partners on its own is not enough- Autism Speaks understands 

we must also provide information and resources to assist individuals with autism, family members, 

service providers, and other community members. To do so, we have developed and shared different 

15 bJ:!.R?.JLgisc.bsr J2t:JIL.fil<:SiBSR-GISC-~!tisrn·fr!:lllilWWD.f'nt-I<;[Lgslf 

16 
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resources including our Employment Tool Kit which provides resources and information to help adults 

with autism research, find and keep employment in today's competitive labor market. 

In addition, we have developed a parent's guide on how to help one's child gain competitive 

employment. We maintain an expanding roster of large companies across the country that have made a 

concerted effort to publish their inclusion and diversity policies and share this database publicly to help 

job hunters with autism know where to apply. All of these resources are available on our website at 

1/jWVyj>.utisrnSp<'@_kS.Qig. 

Finally, we launched www.TheS_Qi",i;_\J'JJJilJ:c;JE_g_?.com in 2015, which is a jobs portal designed to promote 

inclusive employment of the autism community by proactively matching job seekers with businesses as 

well as employment service providers. 

Autism Speaks is proud to work with an integral part of our nation's economy- small businesses- to 

improve employment outcomes for individuals with autism, increase individuals' chances for selfsufficiency and independence, and help businesses improve their bottom line. Our collaborative efforts 

with the small business community and the broader public strive to spread awareness about the 

benefits of employing individuals with autism, develop innovative and sustainable business models and 

hiring practices, and provide technical assistance to implement best practices. What we have learned is 

clear-the innovation and flexibility unique to small businesses and entrepreneurs enable them to 

lead the way in employing individuals with autism. 

Small businesses are in a position not only to develop new models that employ individuals with autism 

but also to innovate in a way that responds directly to local labor market needs. The connection many 

small businesses have with their communities is vital to creating the partnerships necessary to transition 

young adults into the local workforce, share best practices with other local businesses, and nurture a 

workforce comprised of people with varying abilities. The small business community is central to 

building a society that understands the dignity of work and values the contributions of people with 

autism. 

Capabilities Business 

The small business community is uniquely fit to overcome the historical barriers many adults with 

autism face in their efforts to join the workforce. The barriers to employment associated with autism 

spectrum disorders themselves- especially difficulty communicating and navigating social norms- are 

easily mitigated through achievable modifications. Employers report that a high percentage (59%) of job 

accommodations cost absolutely nothing to make, while the rest typically require a one-time investment 

of only $500." Small businesses can work directly with individuals on the spectrum to understand their 

needs and strengths, find accommodations that work, and implement those practices consistently 

throughout the workplace and across all phases of employment. 

Similarly, small businesses can harness their close community ties to leverage natural and other 

supports to help individuals with autism achieve employment. Small businesses are in a superior 

position to benefit from existing community-focused programs meant to prepare and support 

transitioning students with autism. Through individualized education plans, vocational rehabilitation, 

17 Loy, B. (2005, updated 2017). Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact. Morgantown, WV: Job 
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and career and technical education, small businesses can partner with these local workforce 

development initiatives to set up a pipeline of skilled workers with autism. 

As part of the local and regional economy, small businesses provide an array of career pathways for 

individuals with autism. What the small business community must do as a whole is better understand its 

role in this pipeline and provide increased work-based learning and employment opportunities for youth 

with autism so that greater numbers of students with autism can match their interests and skills with 

labor market demand and secure sustainable employment. 

Autism Speaks believes the small businesses will benefit greatly from employing individuals with autism. 

Increasing the opportunities for individuals with autism to find sustainable employment is more than a 

social imperative; doing so also yields economic gain for businesses. 

Employers can benefit by retaining valuable employees, improving productivity and morale, reducing 

workers' compensation and training costs, and diversifying their workforce. Employers have found 

workers with autism to be their most loyal, dedicated, and reliable employees, maintaining consistent 

hours worked per week for significant periods of time.18 Businesses also report that while on the job, 

employees with autism show engagement substantially higher than employees without disabilities, 

leading to increased productivity." Hiring individuals on the spectrum can also teach companies how to 

better identify with a growing customer base personally impacted by autism. 

Autism Speaks believes the small business community is well-suited to spread awareness of the autism 

community as an underutilized source of high-quality employees. Awareness about the benefits of hiring 

individuals with autism and the low cost of providing accommodations must be increased. This 

Committee, business associations, local chambers of commerce, local industry associations, and other 

employer networks are in a powerful position to help other small businesses learn about best practices 

and take steps toward hiring qualified individuals with autism. 

Nationally, Autism Speaks and other organizations are working hard to raise awareness within the 

broader business community about the abilities of people with autism. As businesses of all sizes and 

from all industries begin to recognize that hiring employees with autism is a cost-effective way to build a 

diverse and inclusive workforce, real-world testimonials from small businesses will be increasingly 

important for spreading awareness. 

Small businesses are ideally positioned to share their real-world experience with other members of the 

business community, not just in hiring employees on the spectrum but also in successfully retaining 

employees with autism. 

18 Schaller J., & Yang N. (2005). Competitive Employment for People with Autism: Correlates of Successful Closure 

in Competitive and Supported Employment. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 49(1), 4-16. 19 BlueStarRecyclers. (2018, May). A 100% solution. BlueStarRecyclers. Retrieved from 

bluestarrecyclers.org/ solution. htm 
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the Community 

Employing individuals with autism yields considerable economic and social advantages, simultaneously 

reducing the support costs for this population. 20 Estimated lifetime costs for supporting an adult with 

autism range from $1.4 million to $2.4 million in the U.S., and the degree to which adults with autism 

fail to achieve independence contributes to increased lifetime care costs." Research shows that 

employing individuals with autism, including those who may need substantial job supports saves taxpayer money by reducing the number of benefits that people with autism need when they are 

unemployed." In addition, employing individuals with autism alleviates some of the pressure on the 

overburdened adult service system; when employment supplants traditional adult day supports, society 

can achieve greater cost efficiency in these programs." 

Recommendations 

Numerous existing policies impact the employment of individuals with autism, some working to advance 

it, others to impede. Many do both. Consultation, collaboration and sharing of community resources can 

certainly help businesses and communities create more job opportunities, but we must also consider 

other systemic improvements. Autism Speaks wishes to make three systemic recommendations to 

improve employment outcomes for individuals on the spectrum: 

Our first recommendation is to improve transition services in schools. The Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act requires that schools create a transition plan starting no later than age 16 for all students 

with individualized education plans. For this provision to work as intended, transition plans must include 

coordination across vocational rehabilitation, special education and career services. Schools must also 

work with community employers to help match students with available jobs in the local market. The 

onus does not fall on any one entity success requires a concerted effort from everyone, and that effort 

must come as early as possible to maximize the benefit to students. 

Our second recommendation is to improve coordination between federal government service 

providers. In its 2017 Report to Congress entitled Young Adults and Transitianing Youth with Autism 

Spectrum Disorder, required by the Autism CARES Act, the Department of Health and Human Services 

called for "better coordination across federal agencies, and across service systems at the state and 

community levels ... to adequately meet the diverse needs of the heterogeneous population of 

transitioning youth and young adults with ASD." 24 Autism Speaks agrees that increased alignment 

between different entities serving transition-age youth with autism will result in more seamless service 

delivery for families and improve employment outcomes for adults. 

Our third recommendation is to ensure that state-level implementation of workforce programs -

including WIOA and HCBS- results in meaningful improvements for individuals with autism. When 

20 Jacob, A., Scott, M., Falkmer, M., & Falkmer, T. (2015). The Costs and Benefits of Employing an Adult with Autism 

Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. PLoS ONE, 10(10): e0139896. 

https:/ I doi.org/1 0.13 71/jou rna I. pone .0139896. 21Buescher, A., Cidav, Z., Knapp, M., & Mandell, D. (2014), Costs of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the United 

Kingdom and the United States. lAMA Pediatr. 168(8)., 721-8. 22 Jacob, et al. 

23 Winsor, et al. 24 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2017, October). Report to Congress: Young Adults and 

Transitioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Retrieved from the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
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Congress passed WIOA in 2014, it included provisions designed specifically to improve employment 

outcomes for individuals with disabilities. These pre-employment transition services provide a 

substantive framework for supporting individualized planning and training based on skill level and 

prioritize work-based learning. States are also working to expand access to HCBS and improve those 

services to emphasize paid work in the community. These efforts are important, and stakeholders must 

work together to ensure implementation produces positive outcomes for individuals on the spectrum. 

Conclusion 

Employment is more than the key to independence; our jobs are, in large part, the way we as Americans 

define ourselves. Individuals with autism share the same right to shape their identities and deserve the 

same opportunity to maximize their potential and to contribute as full and productive members of 

society. Small businesses today have a tremendous opportunity to help them do so, improving their 

bottom line and benefiting their communities at the same time. 

Autism Speaks remains dedicated to serve as a conduit between individuals with autism and the small 

business community, and we look forward to strengthening that partnership today and into the future. 
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Testimony to House Committee 

on Small Business 

{/Ready, Willing, and Able to Work: How Small Businesses 

Empower People with Developmental Disabilities." 

By: David Friedman, Founder/CEO, AutonomyWorks 

May 9, 2018 

AutonomyWorks 
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Introduction: 

Chairman Chabot, Ranking Member Velazquez and members of the Committee on Small 

Business, thank you for inviting me to this hearing and providing the opportunity to tell my 

story about "How Small Businesses Empower People with Developmental Disabilities." 

1 am David Friedman. I have spent the better part of the last thirty-five years working in 

consumer marketing. I have had the good fortune to work for exceptional organizations, such 

as Accenture, Microsoft, and Publicis. Just over five years ago, I founded AutonomyWorks, a 

small business located outside of Chicago. 

My professional career has little to do with why I am sitting in front of you today. I am here 

because of my son, Matthew. Matthew is now 22 years old. like many 22-year-olds, Matthew is 

a sports fan- avidly following the Bears, Sox, and Bulls. He runs, plays in a basketball league, 

and loves his electronic devices. 

Unlike most other 22-year-old men, Matthew has autism. Matthew has a lot of skills. He is 

exceptional with numbers and is a strong visual learner. That said, Matthew's autism presents 

him with real challenges. He has challenges with organization and planning and he struggles to 

succeed in even the simplest social situations. 

Matthew attended our local public schools. When students with disabilities reach 14 Y, years 

old, the school system begins a process called Transition Planning- setting in motion an effort 

to transition young adults into the "real" world of work or college. At the time, we felt that 

Matthew was unlikely to be successful in a traditional college. His lack of organizational and 

social skills required were too much of a barrier. 

The team from the school, my wife and I began looking for alternatives- jobs and careers 

where Matthew could contribute and succeed. We were stunned by what we found. There 

were very few jobs available to people with disabilities. The ones that existed were low skill and 

did not leverage his unique skills and talents. 

Matthew is not alone 

The Problem: 

Over 3 million Americans are living on the autism spectrum. It is the fastest-growing disability in 

the country, doubling in the past 15 years. 1 Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers 

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, Aprill). Autism Spectrum Disorder {ASD). Retrieved 

from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site: 

http://www .cdc.gov /ncbddd/autism/data.htm I 

2 
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to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, 

speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. There is 

not one autism but many types, caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental 

influences. 2 

Since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed in 1990, schools systems 

have made great progress in the availability and effectiveness of interventions and support for 

students with autism and other disabilities. Eventually, young adults with autism graduate from 

school systems into the world of work. Approximately, 50,000 individuals with autism spectrum 

disorder turn 18 each year in the United States.3 

The work place is largely unprepared for this wave of workers. Despite their talents, there is a 

profound shortage of jobs for people with disabilities. Only 20.9% of people with disabilities are 

in the labor force- compared to 68.3% of people without disabilities. People with autism have 

the lowest employment rate of any category of disabilities. 4 Based on current statistics, 80% of 

people with autism will be unemployed or underemployed as adults. 

A recent study found that only half (53%) of young adults with an autism spectrum disorder had 

ever worked for pay outside the home in the first 8 years following high school. This is the 

lowest rate among disability groups even when controlling for impairment severity, household 

income, and social demographics. Only 34% were employed at the time of the survey interview. 

One in five worked full-time with average earnings of $8.10/hour, significantly lower than 

disability comparison groups.5 

For most, the employment gap is not the result of technical or functional capability. Many 

people with autism possess skills that are valuable for today's economy. Often, they possess 

intense focus, comfort with numbers and process, and a passion for repetitive, processintensive tasks. 

However, people with autism often have challenges that make it difficult to manage the 

complex interpersonal interactions present in most workplaces. Businesses -large and smalllack the knowledge and experience required to hire and manage this hidden workforce. 

2 Autism Speaks. (2018, May 4). What is Autism? Retrieved from Autism Speaks web site: 

https:/ /www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism 3 Autism Speaks. (2016, December 12). Mounting Evidence of Critical Need for Adult Transition Support. 

Retrieved from Autism Speaks: https:/ /www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/top-tenlists/2 012/ m ou nting-evid ence-crit ica 1-need-ad u It-trans it ion -support 

'United States Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy. (2018, April). Apri/2018 

Disability Employment Statistics. Ages 16 and over. Retrieved from United States Department of Labor. 

https:/ /www.dol.gov/odep 5 Shattuck. (2013, September 16). Study confirms low rates of employment for young autistic adults. 

Retrieved from Medical News: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130906/Study-confirms-lowrates-of -employment-for -young-autistic-ad u Its. as px 

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Job training and placement services have attempted to address this problem. People with 

autism typically learn best through hands-on experience with real-time feedback. 

Unfortunately, most existing programs fail to transition participants into sustainable jobs and 

careers. In addition, shortages of public and private funding have limited their ability to scale. 

People with autism want to work. This lack of job opportunities severely limits the ability of 

many adults with autism to support themselves and live independently. Nearly two-thirds 

(63.9%) of young adults with autism receive Supplemental Security Income {SSI) benefits. 6 

While each individual requires different types and amounts of support, it is estimated to cost as 

much as $2.4 million to support a single individual with autism throughout their life. The total 

annual cost of supporting this population is over $260 billion per year. 7 

AutonomyWorks Solution: 

My wife and I were shocked to discover the magnitude of the gap between the desire and 

talents of people with autism and the workplace. We knew that our son and many others had 

the skills to contribute. Companies just needed to understand the potential and possibilities. In 

2012, I left my corporate career and founded AutonomyWorks. 

AutonomyWorks is a for-profit, commercial business. We have been operating for five years 

and serve more than fifteen commercial clients. Each week, our team of nearly thirty Associates 

with autism delivers hundreds of discrete tasks for our clients- at exceptional levels of quality. 

AutonomyWorks was established to breakdown the barrier between potential and reality by 

creating thousands of jobs for adults with autism. We leverage the talents of people with 

autism- attention to detail, focus through repetitive tasks, and dedication to quality- to 

provide our clients with essential services. Our team frees companies from the burden of 

repetitive processing work so they can focus more time and attention on strategy and results. 

AutonomyWorks creates jobs for unemployed and underemployed people with autism. 

Without their jobs at AutonomyWorks, most of these individuals would be relying on public 

assistance or the support of their families. Working at AutonomyWorks enables them to earn 

income while building skills applicable to many other jobs. 

AutonomyWorks has created a business system to enable adults with autism. We restructure 

and reengineer client work to create tasks and jobs well-suited for our Associates. We provide 

a custom-tailored working environment optimally suited to their capabilities and needs. 

6 United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2017, October). Report to Congress: Young 

Adults and Transitioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Retrieved from the Health and Human 

Services website. https:/ /www. hhs.gov /sites/ defau lt/files/2017 Autism Report. pdf 

7 Buescher, A. e. (2014, August). Costs of autism spectrum disorders in the United Kingdom and the 

United States. Retrieved from PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24911948 

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Associates receive training, occupational support, and job coaching. We track performance and 

identify opportunities for additional training, expanded responsibility, and intrinsic and financial 

rewards. 

AutonomyWorks is based outside Chicago in DuPage county. Our employees live across the 

Chicago area -commuting from as long as 90 minutes each way to their jobs. 

AutonomyWorks partners closely with government agencies, school systems, and local service 

providers to coordinate and amplify our impact. For example, AutonomyWorks is part of a 

three-way collaboration with the Illinois Division for Rehabilitation Services (DRS) and the 

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to develop information 

technology jobs for adults with disabilities in the Chicago area. 

AutonomyWorks has been fortunate to participate in several Federally supported programs. 

For example, we recently completed a 24-month grant funded through the United States 

Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Office of 

Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). 8 With this support, AutonomyWorks hired 10 people and 

offered internships, apprenticeships, and training to an additional 54. 

Specific Benefits: 

AutonomyWorks was built from the start to employ adults with autism. It is the core of our 

mission and purpose. Every management decision is made with a focus on that objective. 

Since our founding, AutonomyWorks has generated more than 70,000 hours of paid 

employment for adults with autism. Currently, we employ more than 30 people- most in their 

first paid job. Over 70% of employees are adults with autism. More than 100 times a week, an 

adult with autism goes to work at AutonomyWorks. 

By the end of 2020, AutonomyWorks anticipates employing more than 100 people. By 

transitioning people from unemployment to work, AutonomyWorks hopes to reduce Medicaid 

and Social Security costs. As importantly, Associates will be building self-esteem and income 

while also developing workplace, financial management, and executive functioning skills. 

AutonomyWorks has seen the challenge, the potential and the transformation among our 

Associates. Aaron and Jason are just two examples (note: names are changed to protect their 

privacy). 

8 US Department of Labor. (2014, May 27). Disability Employment Initiative Grants. Retrieved from 

Department of Labor web site: https:/ /dei.workforcegps.org/-

/media/WorkforceGPS/disability/Files/DEISGARound5_DFA-PY-13-11_052714.ashx 

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Aaron: After graduating from high school, Aaron spent three years looking for a job. He 

applied for dozens of open positions and received rejection after rejection from these 

employers. He was discouraged and demoralized. In 2015, Aaron learned about 

AutonomyWorks through our partnership with the Division of Rehabilitation Services. 

Aaron has been employed at AutonomyWorks for almost two years now. He works five 

days each week performing technical, detail orientated, computer work for our clients 

at an exceptional level of quality. Aaron utilizes public transportation and feels that he 

has finally found a place where he can contribute his skills and talents to the workplace. 

Jason: Jason has a Bachelor's Degree from a four-year accredited university. For seven 

years, prior to joining to AutonomyWorks team, Jason found himself stuck, bagging 

groceries for a few hours each week at a local grocery store. Jason was discouraged 

with his employment situation- he wanted a job that took advantage of his education 

and his unique skills and abilities. Jason connected with his vocational rehabilitation 

counselor and learned about AutonomyWorks. 

Jason has been employed by AutonomyWorks for over four years now and uses his 

communications degree to do digital marketing tasks for our clients. Jason feels that he 

is well suited for the work he does because of his high level of attention to detail. He 

has gained confidence, built friendships, and is saving his paychecks to purchase a new 

car. 

As a father, I have seen the transformation first-hand with my son. Immediately after 

graduating, Matthew often looked back to the safety and support of high school and his 

transition program. Work has given Matthew a new purpose. He has mastered public 

transportation. He is attending the local community college. He is learning new skills. He is 

preparing to live independently. 

Matthew is building a life. 

There is much more to be done. In the next decade, the workplace will be flooded with over 

half million adults with autism- talented and eager to work. Small businesses generate a large 

percentage of new jobs across the United States. Small businesses must be a core part of any 

solution to the employment challenges facing adults with disabilities. 

Small businesses working to address this challenge need your help. Through your actions and 

support, this Committee has a direct impact on the ability of AutonomyWorks and similar 

companies to grow and address this wave of workers. 

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Expand 8(a) Business Development Program: 

The Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce manages a 

range of programs that enhance participation of small businesses in providing goods and 

services to the federal government. Unfortunately, today's contracting programs exclude many 

organizations employing people with developmental disabilities. 

Participation in the 8(a) Business Development Program is based on the attributes of the 

business owner. Many people with developmental disabilities that meet the requirements of 

the programs lack the skills and experience to establish and manage the operations of the 

business. 

We ask that the Committee consider changing the 8(a) Business Development Program or 

adding an additional category to include companies employing people with developmental 

disabilities. Participation in the program should be based on employment outcomes rather than 

owner characteristics. 

Support Small Business Apprenticeship Programs: 

Apprenticeship programs are a proven approach for transitioning people with disabilities into 

employment. Many people with disabilities learn best through hands-on training. In addition, 

apprenticeships provide people with disabilities the opportunity to demonstrate their talents 

on the job. 

The recently implemented Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) supports 

apprenticeships as a tool for workforce development. The scale of small businesses can make it 

challenging to develop and operate an apprenticeship program. We encourage this Committee 

to explore and support targeted initiatives that enable small businesses to build these programs 

collaboratively. For example, ... 

• Create targeted technical assistance programs that encourage small businesses to build 

collaborative apprenticeship programs through consortium models or intermediaries. 

• Establish tax credits that help small businesses embrace apprenticeships as part of their 

employee development strategy. 

Chairman Chabot, Ranking Member Velazquez and members of the Committee, thank you for 

allowing me to share my story and, more importantly, the skills and talents of AutonomyWorks 

Associates. I look forward to your questions. 

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STATEMENT OF JOHN CRONIN 

BEFORE THE COMMITIEE ON SMALL BUSINESS 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO WORK: HOW SMALL BUSINESSES EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH 

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 

MAY9,2018 

Good morning, Chairman Chabot, Ranking Member Velazquez and Members of the Small 

Business Committee. My name is John Cronin, and I am the co-founder and Chief Happiness 

Officer of John's Crazy Socks, based in Melville, New York. Thank you for inviting me to be here 

today as a representative and self-advocate of the National Down Syndrome Society, the 

leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. I look forward to 

sharing my perspective as an entrepreneur and a voice for differently-abled small business 

owners everywhere. 

I have Down syndrome, but Down syndrome never holds me back. I am 22-years old and work 

hard every day to show the world that individuals with Down syndrome are ready, willing and 

able to work. Give us a chance and we can be successful. 

I founded this business with my dad, Mark. It was my idea and I came up with the name. We 

have a mission to spread happiness. We work to show what is possible. I love my business. 

Let my dad and I tell you about our business. 

The Story of John's Crazy Socks 

Our story begins in the fall of 2016. John was in his last year of high school and, like everyone 

else, trying to determine what he would do after school. John had been preparing his whole life 

for that opportunity. As a child, like many people born with Down syndrome, John faced serious 

medical issues at birth. He had intestinal by-pass surgery on day three of his life and open-heart 

surgery before he was three months old. Excellent medical care made him healthy. He received 

an excellent education through the Huntington Public Schools. John already had two jobs, one 

working in the kitchen at a day camp, and the other working in an office with his mom and dad. 

John was ready to work yet so many of the options offered John anything but work. There were 

job training programs and sheltered workshops. John wanted to do meaningful work. As John 

says, "I did not need more school. I did not need more training. I wanted a good job like my 

brothers Patrick and Jamie." 

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He found a solution when John told his dad, "I want to go into business with you." Given John's 

drive, John could not be stopped. So, we had to come up with an idea for the business. John 

suggested a few businesses, like a food truck. Unfortunately, as John explains, he can't cook, so 

that idea would not work. 

Then John had his eureka moment, "We should sell socks." 

John has worn crazy socks his entire life. "I love socks. They are colorful, creative and fun and 

they let me be me." John had the name and even some drawings of a website. 

We opened on December 9, 2016, to see if John's Crazy Socks would work. Most of our initial 

orders came from our hometown- Huntington, New York. John made hand-deliveries, putting 

candy and a thank you note in every package. We found early success and decided to plunge 

headfirst into making the business work. 

A Business Built on Happiness and Showing What is Possible 

We have a simple mission at John's Crazy Socks: spreading happiness. And we built the business 

on four pillars: 

Inspiration and Hope: Every day, we show what is possible when you give people a chance. We 

have built our business by showing that people with intellectual disabilities are an asset, not a 

liability, and they can make a business successful. John is the face of our business. We hire 

people with disabilities. We show what people can do through our videos. We host school tours 

and schoolwork groups. We focus on what people can do, not what they cannot do. 

Giving Back: We pledged five percent of our profits to the Special Olympics because John is a 

Special Olympics athlete. We sell charity and awareness socks that raise money for our charity 

partners like the National Down Syndrome Society, Autism Speaks and the William Syndrome 

Association. John designed the world's first Down Syndrome Awareness Socks and his latest 

design is our Down Syndrome Super Hero Sock. 

Socks You Can Love: We are a sock store, so we offer 1,900 different socks. We have a Sock-ofthe-Month Club, gift boxes and gift bags. We must compete with businesses like Wai-Mart and 

Amazon, so we do same-day shipping. 

Making It Personal: We make a connection with our customers. Every package receives a thank 

you note and from John and some candy. 

We are a social enterprise with both a social and e-commerce mission that is indivisible. 

Without the social mission, we would be just another sock store. Without a solid e-commerce 

business, we would be nothing more than a cute story. 

What happens when you let a young man with Down syndrome start a business and you put 

people with intellectual disabilities at the core of the business? Today, we are a year and a half 

old and here is what we have achieved so far: 

• We have created 33 jobs with 15 of them held by people with differing abilities. 

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• We have raised over $100,000 for our charity partners. 

• Our videos are created to show what is possible, and have been seen over 4 million 

times and videos about our business by the BBC, the Mighty, Money magazine and 

others have been seen over 70 million times. 

• We have over 5,500 online reviews and 96 percent of them are five-star reviews. 

• We have shipped to every state and 44 different countries. 

• We have shipped over 98,000 orders and earned $3.6 million in revenue. 

Every day, we show what is possible when you give people an opportunity. Our business 

succeeds because of the people we hire and because people respond when they see what we 

can achieve. 

We continue to build on this foundation and work with other self-advocates. We have a 

collaboration with Collettey's Cookies out of Boston. Collette is a self-advocate with Down 

syndrome who owns her own cookie company and we include her products in our gift boxes. 

We help support Brittany's Baskets of Hope, a non-profit founded by Brittany Schiavone who 

has Down syndrome. They supply gift baskets to families who have a newborn with Down 

syndrome. In fact, Brittany works with us two days a week as a Sock Wrangler. We'd love to do 

something with our friends at Blake's Snow Shack, owned by another self-advocate with Down 

syndrome, Blake Pyron in Sanger, Texas, but we can't figure out yet how to put snow cones in 

our boxes. 

We are starting to build the John's Crazy Socks Network that will feature regular shows hosted 

by or featuring differently-abled people. Nothing too serious, we want to have fun and spread 

happiness. We already did a football pick show last year and we may do a cooking show with 

one of our Sock Wranglers, Riley Melo. We want to find more ways to break stereotypes and 

show what people can do. 

John's Crazy Socks -A Model for Competitive, Integrated Employment in the Disability 

Community 

At John's Crazy Socks, we have created a unified workplace where people with disabilities and 

without work side by side. The result? Better productivity, better morale and higher retention. 

We focus on what people can do and not what they cannot do. We match job skills with our job 

needs. Everyone in our employ has earned his or her job. 

One of the many things that make us different is our hiring process, especially for our crucial 

"sock wrangler" positions. We start the hiring process with less of an interview and more of a 

conversation. We want to make sure that anyone we hire is passionate about socks, the job and 

the work we do at John's Crazy Socks. We want everyone to buy into our mission and our 

culture. Next, potential employees shadow one of our sock wranglers, so they learn how to fill 

orders. Then, we test their knowledge and ask them to fulfill five orders within thirty minutes. 

For some, it takes them an hour to learn how to do this. For others, it takes weeks. We make 

sure to be patient and accommodating to any extra training they may need. The result of our 

hiring process is high productivity rates and a high retention rate. Our employees value us 

because we value them. 

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Once people join our team, we look for ways for them to take use their talents. Matt, who has 

Asperger's, is now writing sock descriptions for our website. Aliya is learning about social media 

from our Marketing Wizards and Brandon is learning Photoshop, so he can design socks. 

In New York State, different regions have different minimum wages. On Long Island where our 

business is located, we have an $11 an hour minimum wage. At John's Crazy Socks, our salaries 

start at $12 an hour. We don't pay anyone below that. We told our workers, they do not do 

minimum work, so we will not pay them a minimum wage. 

Additionally, full-time workers get health insurance, dental and vision insurance, life insurance 

and disability insurance. We are in the process of setting up a retirement program for them. 

While we don't have traditional benefits for our part-time employees, like most businesses in 

the United States, we have other benefits to being a part-time employee of John's Crazy Socks. 

We have Bagel Wednesdays and Staff Lunch Fridays. We take everyone out to social events. 

This is especially important for our employees with differing abilities, as they get to socialize in 

an environment outside of work as well as learn how to act appropriately at a dinner. Last 

week, we took everyone to a dinner for our local Chamber of Commerce. 

None of what we do is altruism; it's good business. We need the business to succeed. We are 

two guys from Long Island running a sock business. We have no special training. We have no 

government help. If we can do it, anyone can do it. 

Congress Must Help Us End #LawSyndrome 

Like many start ups, we have run into some tough obstacles and we have worked to overcome 

them. But there are some obstacles that we need you to help us change. All of our colleagues 

with different abilities work on a part-time basis. Why? Because if they work too many hours, 

the will lose their benefits. Just last week, Matt, who we mentioned, told us he would love to 

work 40-hours a week, but he can't, or he will lose his Medicaid and he can't afford to lose his 

Medicaid because of his health issues. 

It is a terrible choice: work or benefits. It is not a choice we want anyone to have to make. We 

should encourage work and reward people who work more, not punish them. 

John is a perfect example of this dilemma. John does not currently receive any government 

benefits, even though he is entitled to do so. But if he were to apply now, he would be rejected. 

Why? Because he started his own business. Yes, John would be forced to choose between 

equity in his business or benefits. 

Our laws should encourage work. Our laws should encourage entrepreneurs. Yet our laws do 

the opposite. Matt, Aliya, Brandon and our other employees should not have to choose 

between work and benefits. They should not have to risk losing Medicaid, which they need to 

survive, just because they want meaningful work. That is why we are speaking here today, and 

this is why we are working with the National Down Syndrome Society. 

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While there are many people with Down syndrome that have the potential to own and lead a 

successful business like John or follow their own dreams and career aspirations, there are far 

too many obsolete laws that hold people with disabilities back. Last year, NDSS launched its End 

#LawSyndrome campaign, a national effort to spotlight those laws that hinder individuals with 

Down syndrome (and other disabilities) from fulfilling their aspirations. The path to end 

#LawSyndrome includes: 

• Increasing income limitations and ending sub-minimum wage practices that discourage 

competitive employment opportunities; 

• Creating a more portable Medicaid program with greater flexibility so that people with 

disabilities can work and live where they desire; 

• Removing discriminatory provisions in the tax code that treat people with disabilities 

unfairly in employer-provided benefit programs; and 

• Broadening the Achieve and Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act to allow more people with 

disabilities to accumulate assets and achieve economic self-sufficiency. 

For John, a significant challenge was being forced to choose between Medicaid or having a 

meaningful career. It was a choice we could make. But for most people with Down syndrome 

and their families, it's a no-win proposition -lose the important Medicaid supports and services 

that enable them to attain and maintain gainful employment, or live in poverty. 

It is time to decouple the poor from the disabled in our means-tested programs so that people 

with differing abilities can live with dignity. 

Ending #LawSyndrome is about disability rights, and disability rights are human rights. The 

following are specific proposals that Congress can enact that will go a long way toward ending 

#LawSyndrome. 

Pass the TIME Act 

House Resolution 1377, the Transitioning to Integrated, Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act, a 

bipartisan bill led by Congressman Gregg Harper from Mississippi, would end the discriminatory 

practice of subminimum wage for people with disabilities. Subminimum wage is the practice of 

paying people with disabilities below the federal minimum wage, sometimes as little as $0.30 

an hour, simply because they have differing abilities. The TIME Act phases out this practice 

responsibly over a period of six years, a key recommendation from a 2012 report to the 

President by the National Council on Disability. 1 

Awaiting consideration by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the bill has 

30 cosponsors and will be introduced in the Senate shortly. The bill amends Section 14(c) of the 

Fair Labor Standards dating back to 1938. Yes, the year 1938, a time when people with 

disabilities like John were institutionalized. 

There is no justification to allow this practice to continue. John proves every day that he is not 

defined by his disability. Our business demonstrates anyone can succeed and be profitable by 

1 https://www.ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Sub%20Wage_508.pdf. 

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hiring people with differing abilities and paying them a fair wage. There is no excuse to allow 

people to be paid less than minimum wage. 

We encourage all the Members of this Committee to cosponsor the TIME Act today. 

Create Employee Benefits Tax Fairness 

Because of the asset limitations of SSI and Medicaid, employees with disabilities who are 

beneficiaries of these programs cannot accumulate assets in 401(k)s, Health Savings Accounts, 

and other employee savings programs. Many employers make contributions to these accounts 

and receive a tax deduction in return. To meet non-discrimination rules, all employees of a 

business must be eligible for the same benefits. However, an employer contribution to the 

account of a differently-a bled employee must immediately be withdrawn to stay within the 

asset limitations. This means the employee is assessed a 10 percent penalty for the early 

withdrawal, and the plan provider is required to withhold 20 percent for federal income taxes 

and two percent to eight percent for state income taxes, depending upon state of residence. 

To create a level playing field for differently-a bled employees, Congress should provide 

employers with a tax deduction, and an exemption from the non-discrimination rules, for 

contributions made to an employee's ABLE Account in lieu of contributions to other employee 

savings programs. As you know, the assets in ABLE Accounts do not count when determining an 

individual's eligibility to receive, or the amount of, any assistance provided by a needs-based 

federal program. This would address the unfairness in the tax treatment of employee savings 

programs and create a greater incentive for employers to attract and retain differently-abled 

workers. 

Reform Medicaid & Social Services to lncentivize Employment 

Instead of discouraging employment, Medicaid should provide incentives to states that 

encourage employment for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities, and offer costeffective supports and services that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, 

and integration and inclusion. 

John doesn't receive any of the benefits to which he's entitled as a person with Down 

syndrome. John must choose between having equity in his own business and receiving 

Medicaid benefits. John couldn't have both. To receive Medicaid benefits, there are very 

restrictive limits on how much you can earn and how much you can have in assets. John is 

fortunate that he has a choice. But most people with Down syndrome can't take that risk 

because they have significant medical needs, and they often rely on the long-term supports and 

services that Medicaid provides to allow them to function on a daily basis and to become active 

and productive participants in their communities. 

This problem affects people with disabilities across the board, not just business owners. Some 

of our own employees have to artificially limit their hours because if they work 40-hours a 

week, they lose their benefits. 

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We need to make this system work for people like John and so many others. Here are some 

ideas1. Raise income limitations for Medicaid beneficiaries with Down syndrome and other 

disabilities who are employed. 

2. Create a new "title" in Medicaid that includes those with disabilities who exceed income 

limitations. 

3. Expand existing Medicaid buy-in programs. 

4. Establish a mandatory HCB5 Waiver in every state Medicaid program. These crucial 

services that help people with disabilities work and be productive members of their 

communities are optional and can easily be taken away with budget cuts. 

We want to offer our employees more work to enhance quality of life and, somewhat selfishly, 

to use their talents to enhance our business' competitiveness in the marketplace. However, 

because of the way Medicaid and 551 are currently set up, we can't. As a country, we are telling 

people who are ready, willing and able to work that they can't. We are telling them they are 

limited. We are telling them to accept the government's handout and stand down. We are 

telling them they can't achieve the dreams that so many in this room take for granted like 

independence or self-sufficiency. We are sentencing them to live in poverty. This is a systemic 

problem and an injustice that violates basic human rights. 

Main Street to Wall Street- Businesses Need to Team Up with NDSS' #DSWORKS 

Employment Program 

ND55' #D5WORK5®, an employment program established by the National Down Syndrome 

Society in 2016, is encouraging corporations and businesses to invest in hiring people with 

Down syndrome and increase the number of opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome 

to work in meaningful and competitive employment settings. 

The TIME Act will help pave the way for equality in the workplace for people with Down syndrome 

and other disabilities. By phasing out the special wage certificates, this legislation will give people 

with disabilities access to the work and training environments that will allow them to acquire 

meaningful skills and better employment opportunities. During the phase-out period, employers 

that currently hold special wage certificates would be required to conduct individual assessments 

of those who are paid below the wage and develop a plan to transition employees to more 

competitive integrated employment opportunities. 

It's important to note that both political parties recognized the need to get rid of Section 14(c) 

in their party platforms during the last election. This is truly a bipartisan issue. It is not about 

increasing the minimum wage. It is about equal opportunity in the workplace and ending 

discrimination against differently-abled people. 

If Section 14(c) is phased out, businesses large and small can fill that gap. 

We are so happy that businesses from Wall Street to Main Street are hiring people with 

intellectual and physical disabilities. They are paying them a fair wage. They are providing them 

with benefits. They are treating them the way they would treat anyone else is their vast 

workforce. With respect. 

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In return, employers are benefitting from the value that people with Down syndrome bring to 

their organizations and to their bottom line. A 2014 study by McKinsey and Company found 

that companies that hire people with Down syndrome outperform their competitors and are 

able to sustain exceptional performance over time. 2 It found that individuals with Down 

syndrome have a better quality of life and opportunities for development, while the companies 

that employ them often report significant improvements in their "organizational health." 

We admire and are grateful to the amazing businesses that hire people with differing abilities. 

Why should we stop with just these businesses? We want employers across America to emulate 

these companies. We want all employers to stop paying their workers with disabilities a 

subminimum wage. As Members of Congress, we hope you want these things too. 

As a business owner and an individual with Down syndrome, John deserves to be treated just 

like everyone else, not treated less than everyone else. John and others like him are ready, 

willing and able to work for a fair wage. We ask the members of this Committee to please 

support and cosponsor the TIME Act today to ensure we end this discriminatory practice. 

We call on all businesses, big and small, to hire people with disabilities and to treat them with 

the same respect with which you treat your other employees. Let us show you the amazing 

things people with differing abilities can do. Give us a chance. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members for your time and consideration of these 

important issues. We yield to questions. 

2 "The value that employees with Down Syndrome can add to organizations," March 2014. 

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Testimony of 

Lori Ireland 

President, Ireland Family Foundation, NC 

Founder, Extraordinary Ventures, NC 

On behalf of 

The Autism Society of America 

Before the 

United States House of Representatives 

Committee on Small Business 

Hearing on 

Ready, Willing, and Able to Work: How Small Businesses Empower People with 

Developmental Disabilities 

May 9, 2018 
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Ireland 

May 9, 2018 

Page I of 5 

My name is Lori Ireland. As noted. I am the elected Vice Chair of the Autism Society of America, 

testifying in my role as a founder of Extraordinary Ventures. 

I want to thank Chairman Chabot, ranking member Nydia Velazquez and esteemed members of the 

Committee for allowing me this valuable opportunity to address the employment needs of adults who 

have an autism diagnosis. 

Last week, the CDC announced the incidence of individuals diagnosed with autism is now 1 out of every 

59 eight year olds, up from 1 in 68 when the CDC last reported the incidence number. While these 

numbers certainly require attention, tbere are additional statistics that need to be highlighted. An 

estimated 70 percent of adults with autism are either unemployed or underemployed, despite their ability, 

desire, and willingness to work in the community, and as many live on incomes below the poverty level. 

Each year, 50,000 additional individuals with autism are entering adulthood. Simply put, we are not 

providing or creating the job possibilities required to meet these numbers and as important, we are not 

providing the opportunity for so many to achieve the highest quality of life possible and full participation 

in American life. 

Extraordinary Ventures (EV), formed in 2007, is a sustainable business model and one unique solution 

addressing this employment dilemma. With an operating budget of one million comprised of 80% 

business revenues and 20% private donations, and more than 50 tax-paying employees all of whom have 

disabilities, we are also a part of the local marketplace and economy. 

We have accomplished this through old fashion American small business practices and four core 

philosophies: 

One: We operate as a real business. Nothing works if we don't make quality products and services that 

the marketplace will buy, and in turn support us. We serve an important mission in our community and 

customers support that, but everything we do starts and ends with delivering competitive products and 

services. Without this, there would be no sales and then no johs. That is the main distinction for EV over 

almost every other developmental disability enterprise that we run into that offers at least subminimum 

wages. 
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May 9, 2018 

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Two: We operate a portfolio of businesses. This model allows us to provide a variety ofjob options to the 

people we hire and the opportunity to find the right fit for each person. While a business will typically 

hire to till a specific- set job, we are able to change or re-arrange operations and workplaces so that the 

work in front of our employees is a customized match for their capabilities and interests. We lind the job 

to meet the person, not the other way around. 

We currently operate 6 businesses: 

1.) A pick-up and delivery laundry operation serving about 150 UNC college students, residential 

families and businesses in the community. We are priced competitively in the market and have a 

waitlist for new signups so the operation is primed for expansion if our employees can be 

provided consistency in support staff and a higher income cap. 

2.) A bulk mailing operation where we send out 60,000 pieces of mail per month. 

3.) EV Gifts where our employees create a premium line of handmade candles soaps, lip balms and 

other products sold online and in retail stores across the state. 

4.) EV Pets dog walking business serving the local community. 

5.) A bus detailing service which operates on a yearly contract with the town of Chapel Hill servicing 

a fleet of public transit vehicles. 

6.) An event center where we rent out the surplus space in our building for parties, conferences, and 

meetings This provides good cash flow that helps pay the rent and support the other businesses. 

Three: Everyone is paid at least minimum wage. Our employees arc paid fairly and held to the same 

standards and expectations as any other business. As people improve in their jobs, they grow into bigger 

roles and are compensated more. Currently our employees earn anywhere from minimum wage to 

$15/hour. 

Four: We serve the full range of adults on the autism spectrum. We arc able to offer a wide variety of 

tasks within our businesses that in turn, best suit a wide variety of people. We employ people that live and 

work independently to those that are non-verbal, prone to severe behaviors and need 24/7 support --

These are the people that need your help. 
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In our experience, the difficulty is not in successfully employing someone with a disability, it is in 

attracting and keeping qualified employment support staff so they can grow in their jobs and expand their 

role and hours while facing a low income cap. 

We are witness to the dramatic positive impact have ajoh has on our employees. We see the significant 

decrease in challenging behaviors, an increase in job skills, dexterity, communication, life skills, and 

confidence. There is no question that employment is beneficial and a worthy cause to fight for. We know 

that not everyone is able to work, but our goal is to provide training and opportunities for those that can 

and want to work. We should strive for the same labor force participation rate as those without 

disabilities. What we are trying to do is put the largest number of people in jobs that will still be around 

fifty years from now. It begins with setting these individuals up with opportunities allowing for growth 

and independence and continues with sustainable business practices. 

There are also incredible benefits to employers and small businesses that come with the hiring of adults 

with autism. For example, employee retention. While we have a number of employees who gain the 

necessary skills and choose to leave and pursue full-time employment outside of Extraordinary Ventures, 

which JVe applaud, we also have employees hitting their 8, 9 and I 0 year anniversaries almost every 

week. With millennials switching jobs about every two years, this should be a huge selling point to small 

businesses, especially when the ideal positions for adults with autism tend to be the ones with simpler, 

more repetitive tasks that typically have high tumover. 

Extraordinary Ventures does not seek or rely upon government funds. We pay livable wages and are now 

generating 80% of our costs through product and service revenue and the remaining 20% from donations. 

While we are very proud of our work, I would be doing a disservice to our employees and their families if 

I did not use this opportunity to ask you to address several critical policy needs that we believe can 

expand and help our efforts. We know that in partnership with the Autism Society, we can expand our 

efforts but we need public policy changes. 

Let me give you an example. One of our workers came to us who relied solely on Supplementary Social 

Security Income (SSI) for years. His SSI payment as around $700 and that was all he had as income. 
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When the cost of a one bedroom apartment in Chapel Hill is around $600, he couldn't afford to live as 

independently as possible since he had only $100 for utilities, transportation and food each month. He 

received SSI when he was unable to work and after other agencies helped him, he was ready to work. He 

came to us and excelled at work. He was so proud of his first paycheck, but because of his disability, he 

could only work part time and his take home pay was around $300 after taxes were subtracted. He then 

realized that due to SSI rules, his $300 would result in losses of his SS! income. While certainly we want 

to help people off of government support whenever possible, the current approach isn't helping us do that. 

Our worker was only able to have a total of around $850 which still would not allow him to move to 

economic selt~sufftciency. And when you consider that apartment rentals often require security deposits, 

limitations on how much he could save under SS! rules limited such savings to less than $2000. 

On behalf of this individual and all of those facing the same problem, I would like to make some specific 

policy recommendations to address some of the challenges for individuals with autism and other 

disabilities who want to work but cannot risk the loss of health care and income supports: 

Increase the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level at least to the level used for people who are 

blind. 

Substantially increase the resource limit for SSI and annually index for inflation. 

Enact simplification of work incentives, including allowing on-going presumptive re-entitlement 

to Title !I disability benefits and on-going eligibility for Medicare for those who lose benefits due 

to work but continue to be disabled. 

Provide cash assistance outside of Social Security and SSI to assist working individuals with 

disabilities in meeting their disability-related costs, regardless of their income or assets. 

Enact technical and substantive changes to the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement 

Act to ensure the law works as intended. 

Protect the Affordable Care Act and provide incentives to states to expand Medicaid authorized 

by the law. 

• Support the ABLE Act and bills to expand it. 

Protect the Medicaid program and provide incentives to states to implement the option to buy into 

Medicaid for people with disabilities who work. 
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Reject work requirements being proposed for eligibility for Medicaid. SNAP, public housing. 

These new policy ideas will not help people find employment and will jeopardize their health and 

well-being. 

Medicaid provides health care services and long-term services and supports that maintain the health, 

function, independence, and well-being of 10 million enrollees living with disabilities and, often, their 

families. For many people with disabilities, their lives literally depend on being able to access needed 

healthcare. Medicaid helps people stay healthy so that they go to work. 

We also encourage you all to examine ways those of us in the non-profit world who hire individuals with 

a disability can benefit in a way similar to tax benefits paid to for-profits that hire groups that are 

chronically unemployed. We want to be able to encourage more entities to hire the most in need and 

challenged, who often have higher training and support costs. 

Extraordinary Ventures hires more than 50 individuals. Imagine just one similar agency in every state and 

the District of Columbia hiring a total of2550 people. We are a true small business. Our workers pay 

taxes and we provide needed community services and products. We provide opportunity to both 

individuals who have college degrees and those who require 24 hour assistance. 

You all can help by creating the policies needed to accomplish this. I ask that you consult with experts 

such as the Autism Society of America and other stakeholders to help find reasonable, cost-effective ways 

to help make employment an opportunity that enables a person with a disability to be able to live the 

American Dream to the fullest extent that they are able. 

I thank you for this opportunity to tell you about our work and our wish to expand employment options 

for every adult with autism. 

Please feel free to contact me and our Vice President of Public Policy Kim Musheno for more information on 

our policy recommendations. 
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US House of Representatives: Committee on Small Business 

Ready, Willing, and Able to Work: How Small Businesses Empower People with Developmental 

Disabilities 

Hearing held on May 9, 2018 

AutonomyWorks Response to Follow-up Questions 

Submitted: June 27, 2018 

1. Can you describe what types of small businesses particularly benefit from this workforce? 

A wide variety of small businesses could benefit from hiring people with Autism Spectrum 

Disorder (ASD). Many people with ASD excel at detail-oriented, process-intensive work where 

quality is essential. At AutonomyWorks, we have seen great performance on transaction 

processing, data processing, and quality assurance. 

These talents are required by many businesses. In particular, almost all office-based businesses 

have functions where people with ASD could contribute. For example, ... 

Professional, scientific, and technical services (731,741 firms with 1-19 employees in 

2013) 

Finance and insurance offices (216,130 firms) 

Educational services (67,144 firms) 

Information services (61,051 firms) 1 

There are more than one million small businesses that fall into these categories. If a subset of 

these firms hired just one person with a disability, it could have a major benefit on thousands of 

lives. 

AutonomyWorks is one of several firms that are working to create jobs for people with ASD. 

Other organizations have had success hiring people with autism to work in software testing, 

warehousing and logistics, and food service. 

1US Small Business Administration. (2016). US Small Business Economic Profile. Retrieved from US Small 

Business Administration web site: https:/ /www.sba.gov/sites/defau lt/files/advocacy/United_States.pdf 
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2. Are there certain tasks or job responsibilities that are well suited for individuals with Autism 

Spectrum Disorder? 

Just like neurotypical people, each person with ASD has a different set of skills and talents. That 

said, many share a consistent set of skills and talents. These talents are particularly relevant to 

specific roles and tasks. 

Transaction processing- Set-up, processing, and QA of complex operational 

transactions. 

o Order management 

o Financial transaction audits 

o Marketing operations 

Data management- Integration of data from multiple sources into coherent data sets. 

Report production and QA. 

o Financial analysis 

o Customer research 

o Marketing performance analysis 

Production support- High quality support of repetitive, process intensive tasks. 

o Logistics and warehousing 

o Quality assurance 

o Assembly (e.g. food service, manufacturing) 

3. What steps can a local small business take to create a welcoming environment for these 

individuals? 

With small amounts of preparation and a few accommodations, people with autism can be 

exceptional employees in many roles. For many people with autism, new experiences can be 

stressful and this anxiety can get in the way of job performance. Fortunately, with a few small 

efforts, small businesses can get great performance from their new employees. 

Ramp-up of responsibilities- Many people with autism have excellent task focus and 

attention to detail. Typically, they learn best when focused on one or two tasks at a 

time. As the employee masters tasks, they can continue to learn new tasks. 

Low-sensory work space- Some people with autism can be distracted by noise, light, 

and movement. A work space that minimizes outside sensory input is ideal to eliminate 

this distraction. For example, the best locations would be away from windows, 

walkways, or kitchens. 

Concrete expectations People with autism are focused on quality and eager to 

perform at high levels. Typically, they work best with clear, concrete expectation, such 

as due date, quality expectation, and issue resolution. 
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Once the new employee is contributing fully, on-going management of employees with autism is 

very similar to the management of any other employee. They want clear direction and feedback 

so that they can contribute to the organization. 

Written directions- Often, people with autism work better with written instructions 

(instead of verbal). Written instructions enable the employee to verify accuracy and be 

sure that they are completing the task correctly. 

Unambiguous feedback- People with autism are eager to achieve and perform. They 

respond best to clear, direct feedback on performance (whether positive or negative). 

Managed change- People with autism require time to understand and learn new 

procedures, processes, and structures. With planning and explanation, they can 

successfully navigate most changes. 

Most companies find that the total cost of accommodations is less than $100. In many cases, 

these adjustments are beneficial for all employees not just those with disabilities. 

4. What more can Congress do to empower small businesses to hire individuals with 

developmental disabilities? 

When a small business hires a person with a disability, it can transform life for that person and 

their family. A job builds confidence and self-esteem and begins a path to both financial and 

personal independence. For many, a job is the first step in building a full life. 

For the small business, there are many advantages to hiring individuals with disabilities. Many 

small businesses find that people with disabilities are committed and productive employees. 

Often, turnover and absenteeism are much lower than the neurotypical workforce. In many 

cases, people with disabilities bring new perspectives and positive attitudes to the work 

environment. 

The benefits extend beyond the single business and individual to the entire community. Often 

people with disabilities are dependent on government support programs (e.g. SSI, SSDI). By 

some estimates, it can cost as much as $2.4 million to support a person with autism through 

their lifetime. 2 A job enables people to move from government support to become taxpayers. 

Congress has several opportunities to support small business hiring of people with disabilities 

and the personal, company, and national benefits that accompany these jobs. Two specific 

actions would generate the greatest immediate impact. 

2 Buescher, A. e. (2014, August). Costs of autism spectrum disorders in the United Kingdom and the 

United States. Retrieved from PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24911948 
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1. Expand 8(a) Business Development Program: 

The Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce manages a 

range of programs that enhance participation of small businesses in providing goods and 

services to the federal government. Unfortunately, today's contracting programs exclude 

many organizations employing people with developmental disabilities. 

Participation in the 8(a) Business Development Program is based on the attributes of the 

business owner. Many people with developmental disabilities that meet the requirements 

of the programs lack the skills and experience to establish and manage the operations of the 

business. 

We ask that the Committee consider changing the 8(a) Business Development Program or 

adding an additional category to include companies employing people with developmental 

disabilities. Participation in the program should be based on employment outcomes rather 

than owner characteristics. 

2. Support Small Business Apprenticeship Programs: 

Apprenticeship programs are a proven approach for transitioning people with disabilities 

into employment. Many people with disabilities learn best through hands-on training. In 

addition, apprenticeships provide people with disabilities the opportunity to demonstrate 

their talents on the job. 

The recently implemented Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) supports 

apprenticeships as a tool for workforce development. The scale of small businesses can 

make it challenging to develop and operate an apprenticeship program. 

We encourage this Committee to explore and support targeted initiatives that enable small 

businesses to build these programs collaboratively. For example, ... 

Create targeted technical assistance programs that encourage small businesses to 

build collaborative apprenticeship programs through consortium models or 

intermediaries. 

Establish tax credits that help small businesses embrace apprenticeships as part of 

their employee development strategy. 
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Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) Opening Statement 

House Committee on Small Business Hearing on "Ready, Willing, and Able to Work: How Small 

Businesses Empower People with Developmental Disabilities" 

May 9, 2018 

Opening Statement: 

Good Morning. Thank you, Chaim1an Chabot and 

Ranking Member Velazquez, for holding this very 

important hearing on an unfortunately overlooked 

segment of the labor force; persons with developmental 

disabilities. 

The disparity in employment among working age peoples 

with and without disability is astounding. Almost 7 4 

percent participation of the non-disabled compared to 

almost 32 percent with disabilities. Such a large gap is 

shameful. 

My staff and I had the great pleasure of meeting John 

Cronin and his father in my office earlier this year. John is 

an extraordinarily capable young man and that his 

business has found success due to John and the 

experience and perspective he lends. 

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