Ga. advocates applaud bill advancing to ensure disabled workers not paid below minimum wage
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Hundreds of disabled Georgia workers are allowed to be paid below minimum wage, and it’s all legal.
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows employers, after receiving a certificate from the Wage and Hour Division, to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities whose earning or productive capacity is impaired.
The Dignity and Pay Act demands community rehabilitation programs pay their workers at or above the minimum wage by 2027.
Eight community rehabilitation programs in Georgia received 14c certificates for roughly 250 workers, according to the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). The GCDD said the lowest wage reported is 22 cents an hour.
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Georgia lawmakers continued hearing hours of testimony regarding the impact of liability lawsuits on businesses, consumers and crime victims.
During a hearing last month, some of the representatives of the programs stated they are working to increase wages. Others suggest they have no plans to do so.
The bill ed in the Georgia Senate. During the House committee hearing, several lawmakers voiced their for the bill.
“It’s important we show our people they have value and it’s not 22 cents an hour value,” said State Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton).
Public records show that most programs turn a profit. One of the executives with a salary of more than $230,000.
State Sen. Billy Hickman is sponsoring the bill.
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“Making sure workers would receive minimum wage is just common sense,” said Hickman.
Leah Soller testified at the hearing that her friend with the same disability was paid for every shirt she folded.
“Her manager would look over her shoulder and time her to see exactly how many shirts she could fold and how many clothes she could hang up in a certain amount of time and then would pay her based on that,” said Soller.
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“There are many worthy causes competing for the same limited resources,” Georgia House House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett said.
The bill ed unanimously through the committee.
Sheryl Arno, executive director of The Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta, said she felt like it was the last hurdle. Now, she expects the bill will .
Arno said most disabled people want to be independent and valuable, but they can’t if they can’t make a livable wage
“They want to be a part of the community. They’re OK paying taxes. They vote. They want to get married. They have the same hopes and dreams, but they need to be valued in the same light,” said Arno.
Some program directors testified in committee last month that they may have to close, but lawmakers say the programs should use their profits to pay their workers a fair wage.
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