[Ohio-Talk] Labor Department Weighs Future Of Subminimum Wage For Workers With Disabilities

[Richard Payne]

Labor Department Weighs Future Of Subminimum Wage For Workers With
Disabilities
by Michelle Diament | October 23, 2023

The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking input from stakeholders as part of a
review of the Section 14(c) program. (Chuck Myers/TNS)

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ge%20For%20Workers%20With%20Disabilities&body=Check%20out%20this%20article%2
0from%20Disability%20Scoop:%20https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/10/23/lab
or-department-weighs-future-of-subminimum-wage-for-workers-with-disabilities
/30596/> 
With big changes under consideration, federal officials want to hear from
workers with disabilities about their experiences with a program that allows
employers to pay them less than minimum wage.
The U.S. Department of Labor is launching a "series of stakeholder
engagement sessions" as it embarks on a "comprehensive review" of what's
known as the Section 14(c) program.
The program, authorized under a law that dates back to the 1930s, allows
businesses to receive special 14(c) certificates from the Labor Department
permitting them to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal
minimum of $7.25 per hour.
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Federal officials have been under pressure in recent years to do away with
the subminimum wage employment model, which can leave workers with
disabilities earning as little as pennies per hour.
Late last month, the agency indicated
<https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/10/02/labor-department-scrutinizing-su
bminimum-wage-employment/30571/>  that it would initiate a review of the
program, a move requested by disability advocates, the Government
Accountability Office, the National Council on Disability, the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights and the Labor Department's Advisory Committee on
Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment, among others, according to
Taryn M. Williams, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment
policy.
The Labor Department has not detailed exactly what the review will involve,
how long it will take or what the outcome may be, but with the first
listening session scheduled this week, the agency is signaling that work is
underway.
"During the session, we welcome your input on important areas of focus for
reviewing the 14(c) program, experiences with options for competitive
integrated employment (CIE), lessons from states that have expanded CIE
and/or prohibited subminimum wages, impacts of potentially ceasing to issue
14(c) certificates in the future, and any related issues," the Labor
Department said. "The department is interested in hearing the experiences of
workers with disabilities, so we encourage worker advocates to include these
examples in their remarks or to invite workers with disabilities to come
share their stories directly."
The first stakeholder engagement session will be held virtually this
Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. ET and is open to the public, but registration
<https://usdol.webex.com/weblink/register/r795ef51409fcdb7e0376672d1f73c7c9>
is required no later than Wednesday.


https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/10/23/labor-department-weighs-future-of
-subminimum-wage-for-workers-with-disabilities/30596/




Richard Payne,  President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
937/829/3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> 
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.


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