Navy veteran Scott Smith went to bed on a Friday night. When he awoke the next morning he was blind.

Scott, who was a welder, suffers from optic neuropathy, which cost him his vision.

He was afraid he’d never work again.

But for the past four years, Smith has worked in an optical factory in Winston-Salem, handling the machines that put scratch-resistant coating on glasses for veterans.

Read more here.

A group of 47 workers at IFB Solutions Inc. have a 15-day extension on their employment. There’s no guarantee, however, that they or 90 of their coworkers facing similar situations, will keep their jobs thereafter.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has informed Winston-Salem’s IFB that it will extend one of three federal contracts it has with the company until Aug. 15. The contract in question had been set to expire at midnight Tuesday.

Read more here.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — IFB Solutions says its optical contract with the VA will be extended into August.

IFB announced its contract that was originally set to expire Wednesday (July 31) will be extended until Aug. 15. CEO David Horton says although it’s not the outcome the organization hoped for, the extension will give them more time to find possible positions within for 47 employees who were originally slated to be let go.

Read more here.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — IFB Solutions will need to cut 137 jobs, but the cuts won’t come for about two weeks thanks to an extended contract.

The Winston-Salem-based company, which touts itself as the largest employer of people who are blind in the country, said 137 jobs are on the chopping block after a policy change at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs meant the V.A. would not renew its contract with IFB.

Read more here. 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A policy meant to help veteran-owned businesses could end up costing nearly 1,000 jobs nationwide for blind Americans. That includes more than 100 at IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem.

Jarred Hill explains “The Rule of Two.”

IFB Solutions, the largest employer of people who are blind in the country, is about to experience several rounds of job cuts that will have a devastating effect on the blind community.  The 137 people who work in its optical lab, including 76 people who are blind and 15 veterans, face job cuts with the first wave of 47 lost positions expected by the end of July.

Read more here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NEXSTAR) – A court ruling requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to prioritize contracts that help veterans over people with disabilities.

That means current contracts benefiting blind workers could be stripped from the nonprofits dedicated to hiring them.

“We’re here to make sure that Congress does the right thing,” said Curtis Chase, Director of Operations, IFB Solutions in Arkansas.

Read more here.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — For now, it’s business as usual at IFB Solutions in Asheville, but the largest employer of the vision-impaired nationwide is bracing for the potential of job losses at its facilities.

Read more here.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — IFB Solutions could lose 137 jobs due to policy changes at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Winston-Salem-based company, which touts itself as the largest employer of people who are blind in the country, made the announcement Tuesday.

Read more here.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — Leaders from a Triad nonprofit are back on Capitol Hill Thursday fighting to stop nearly 150 people from losing their jobs.

IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem is pushing back on court-ordered policy changes from the Department of Veteran Affairs. The change prioritizes veteran-owned businesses over nonprofits like IFB Solutions when it comes to who will produce equipment.

Read more here.