Advocate for Fair Wages for Disabled Workers and Ending Subminum Wage
Did you know that many disabled workers are being paid far below minimum wage, and it’s completely legal? This discriminatory practice needs to end, and we have an opportunity right now to change it.
The Department of Labor is currently reviewing the future of its program that allows subminimum wage practices (called 14c certificates), which allow employers who have a certificate to pay disabled employees less than minimum wage – however little the employer wishes.
The average wage for disabled workers whose employers have these certificates is only $3.40 an hour, $53.44 per week, and $213.76 per month, and many people are paid even less than these averages. These policies are based on the idea that disabled people are inherently less productive, and our work is less valuable. This is undeniably false. Disabled workers deserve the dignity of a fair wage, and we need your help to put an end to the practice of paying disabled workers less-than-minimum wages.
Check out information about advocacy opportunities and our campaign efforts below!
Letter to the Department of Labor from 25+ Advocacy Organizations
AAPD joined joined 25 disability organizations and sent a letter to the Department of Labor calling for an end to the practice of paying workers with disabilities.
“Disability rights organizations have opposed the payment of subminimum wages almost as long as the program has been in place, and for decades the broad and diverse disability rights community has been united on the urgent need to end the 14(c) certificate program so that workers with disabilities can be paid the same standard wages as everyone else. Not only is the disability rights community unified on this issue, labor unions, such as the SEIU, as well as major employers like Microsoft and JP Morgan Chase, have taken strong public positions against 14(c). It is truly a rare occasion that labor unions, large corporations, and disability rights organizations align so closely on an issue and agree on the measures that should be taken to address it….
The continued use of 14(c) is not aligned with the Biden Administration’s priorities of driving diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility throughout our government and society, nor the Administration’s efforts to advance worker rights and economic opportunity for all Americans. As mentioned in this letter, there are numerous practices that the Department of Labor can continue to support that would end the payment of subminimum wages and allow employees with disabilities to continue working.”
Click here to read the full letter
Sign The Petition at EndSubminimumWage.org
Click below to sign our petition to show your support for ending the discriminatory practice of paying disabled workers less than minimum wage!