Updated 11/6
It is still legal to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage. We need your help to change that! People with disabilities deserve equal pay for the work that we do. It shouldn’t be legal to pay disabled people less money just because we are disabled.
The Department of Labor (DOL) is thinking about the future of the 14(c) program. The 14(c) program lets employers who have a certificate pay less than minimum wage. Most workers in the program earn less than $3.50 per hour. The DOL can stop giving employers certificates and require them to pay everyone at least minimum wage.
The Department of Labor wants to hear from people about what they think about 14(c). They have scheduled meetings to hear from people about 14(c). It’s important that people with disabilities show up and tell them that we want real jobs with real pay!
Check out our toolkit, Take Action on Fair Pay for Disabled Workers to learn more about attending a meeting.
The next meeting is on November 15th from 5:30PM-7PM EST. The meeting is virtual and on Webex. You need to sign up beforehand to get the link!
November 15th from 5:30PM-7PM EST, register here ASAP
You should sign up to attend and check the box that says you want to speak.
You should plan out what you want to say. You probably will only have a minute or two to speak at the meeting. If you use AAC, draft your remarks before the session and play them when your name is called.
You should say “End subminimum wage” or “I want the DOL to end subminimum wage.”
You should talk about why you are against subminimum wage. Learn more in our toolkit about Real Work for Real Pay.
You can also tell a story about your experiences. It’s really important that they hear from people who work or used to work for subminimum wage. You can tell them about your experiences. You can also tell a story about a job that you work that pays minimum wage or more and how having supports and accommodations helps you do your job. To learn more about how to share a story, check out our toolkit.
If you cannot attend the session, you can still share your story. Email your written or video testimony to jgood@autisticadvocacy.org .
There is a petition you can sign to tell the Department of Labor to end subminimum wage. A petition is a letter that a lot of people sign to show that they agree with what the letter says.
Thank you for taking action to stop subminimum wage. Together, we can make sure the Department of Labor hears from self advocates on this important issue!