Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Rule to End Depression-Era Subminimum Wage for Disabled Workers

Dec 3, 2024, 05:49 PM

The Biden-Harris administration has proposed a rule to end the practice of paying workers with disabilities below the federal minimum wage, currently set at $7.25 per hour. This proposal aims to phase out a Depression-era program that has allowed employers to pay disabled workers as little as 5 cents per hour for tasks like sorting clothes or cutting rags. The move, announced on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, is seen as a step towards promoting fair wages and equality for all workers, regardless of disability. The rule, if implemented, would eliminate the special wage certificates that permit this subminimum wage practice, a policy that has been criticized for its discriminatory nature. The proposal's fate, however, will be determined by the incoming Trump administration.