Federal Efforts To Provide Employment Opportunities and Enforce Labor Standards in Sheltered Workshops

GAO discussed Federal efforts in providing employment opportunities and enforcing labor standards in sheltered workshops. GAO stated that the Committee for Purchase From the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped and the Department of Labor have taken many actions to implement past recommendations. However, additional steps are needed, particularly in regard to oversight of the central nonprofit agencies that assist the Committee in administering the Federal program and reaching a decision as to whether or not Federal minimum wage provisions apply to publicly operated workshops. GAO concluded that Congress could take actions to improve the Federal program by: (1) improving procedures for adding items to the Procurement List (suitable products which Government entities must purchase from designated workshops for the blind); (2) establishing a standard by which employment opportunities created by the program could be measured; and (3) making placement of handicapped individuals into competitive employment a goal of the program.