SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) – The Illinois General Assembly recently cleared the a bill that would phase out subminimum wage for workers with disabilities.
The “Dignity in Pay Act” would make it so that workers with disabilities in Illinois get paid at least the minimum wage in 2030. It would stop businesses from using 14(c) certificates, which allow them to pay disabled workers less than minimum wage. House Bill 793 would also provide a transition grant program to support to organizations and continue to allow them to employ people with disabilities at a fair wage.
“The Dignity in Pay Act is an unprecedented, crucial leap forward to a future where all individuals, regardless of ability, can maximize their talents and contributions to our workforce—and earn a fair wage,” said Governor J.B. Prtizker.
The Senate approved the bill with a bipartisan 43-11 vote, following a 78-30 vote in the House. 18 states and Chicago have already ended 14(c) exemptions in the past. However, the bill faced some pushback from operators of “sheltered work” programs, which employ people with disabilities to work for less than minimum wage outsourced from other businesses.
They argued that the bill will force those programs to end at places that can’t afford minimum wage for potentially low-productivity work. Senator Jil Tracy, R-Quincy has a brother with a disability who works for a business shredding paper.
“How in the world are they going to be able to pay minimum wage is my question? What happens if that shredding paper employment goes away?” said Senator R-Quincy.