When the Fair Labor Standards Act passed in 1938, it included a revolutionary protection: a minimum wage. But Section 14(c) of the Act included an exemption allowing some workers – people with disabilities – to be paid less. Eighty-one years later, 14(c) still remains in effect, and many disabled people are employed in “sheltered workshops” where we make, on average, less than $2 an hour.
But that’s changing! Disability advocates are fighting back, both with Federal legislation and in state legislatures.
Rooted in Rights, in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind (@NFB_voice) and subminimum wage activist Shaun Bickley (@LeftistAutist), is hosting a Twitter chat on Tuesday, March 5th, 2019 at 3pm EST / 12pm PST to discuss the efforts being made to end the subminimum wage and win #EqualPay4OurWork.
We hope to see you join the conversation on March 5th by using the hashtag #EqualPay4OurWork in your tweets and be a part of the discussion.
Questions that will be discussed during the chat:
Q1: Has there been any legislative action in your state to end subminimum wage? If not, what can be done to get this issue on the radar of your elected officials? #EqualPay4OurWork
Q2: What has been the latest efforts on the federal level to eliminate submimimum wages? #EqualPay4OurWork
Q3: How has subminimum wage perpetuated the devaluing of disabled workers’ labor and presence in the workplace? #EqualPay4OurWork
Q4: The exploitation of disabled people is a rampant problem. How have you handled situations where employers sought to exploit your labor on the job? #EqualPay4OurWork
Q5: For 2019, what can individuals and organizations do to bring attention to the issue of subminimum wage #EqualPay4OurWork
To learn more about the subminimum wage, you can watch our documentary, Bottom Dollars, now available in segments on YouTube.
