Bipartisan legislation to help workers with disabilities find jobs with competitive wages was introduced on April 5 by U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).
“Disability employment is the next policy frontier to empower people with disabilities to live full and independent lives,” the congresswoman said.
The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, H.R. 2373, was introduced by Rep. McMorris Rodgers and bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA). The measure, if enacted, would phase out over a five-year period sub-minimum wages for workers with disabilities by providing states, service providers, and other agencies the resources to create competitive integrated employment service models.
A statement from the congresswoman’s office noted there is no minimum for the hourly wage that an employer can pay a worker with a disability if they apply for special certificates from the U.S. Department of Labor under Section 14(c). And a March 4 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office said that many employers and workers with disabilities do not have the resources or services to transition to competitive integrated employment.
“It is long past time for Congress to phase out the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities and expand access to fulfilling employment and economic self-sufficiency,” Rep. Scott said.
The proposed legislation would create a competitive grant program to help states transition all 14(c) certificate holders to models that support competitive employment for those with disabilities. It would also create a grant program for certificate holders located in states that do not apply for the state grant to assist with transitioning their own business models to support individuals with disabilities in integrated employment. In addition, under H.R. 2373, the issuance of any new 14(c) certificates by the Department of Labor would be prohibited, and existing certificates would be phased out over five years until employees are paid at least the federal minimum wage, according to a summary of the bill.
“I look forward to continuing to work in a bipartisan fashion to ensure more people – who are ready, willing, and able to work – find employment,” McMorris Rodgers said.