We have a federal minimum wage that guarantees Americans don't actually work for slave wages. So why are some disabled employees making only pennies an hour?
Turns out, some employers are exploiting a loophole in a 1938 labor law that says disabled people can be paid less than the minimum wage. All a business has to do, to exploit this cheap labor, is get a "special wage" certificate from the Department of Labor. In 1938, there was still a lot of prejudice against the disabled, and employers assumed that they would not be as productive. But this is the 21st century. Don't we know better by now?
Two Congress members are working to put an end to this discrimination, enabled by the Section 14(c) program. Will you now please join me in asking Congress to eradicate the Section 14(c) program and the discrimination that goes with it?
Dear Congress Members:
It's a terrible blot on America's human rights record that some employers are still paying disabled individuals less than minimum wage. Because of a loophole in American law, from 1938, some disabled employees are making only pennies an hour. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how wrong this is. Disabled employees are just as productive and hard working as other employees. Please repeal Section 14 (c) at your earliest opportunity.
