International nonprofit criticized for paying disabled workers less than minimum wage
Activists are petitioning an international thrift store nonprofit chain that pays disabled workers less than minimum wage.
The organization uses section 214(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act to pay disabled employees as little as 22 cents per hour. The section of the law in question is 75 years old and allows employers to pay certain workers less if their disabilities impair job performance, according to Truthout, an organization that reports on injustice issues.
The thrift store company defends the policy, claiming it enables them to create jobs for disabled workers who may otherwise be unemployable.
Members of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and National Federation of the Blind picketed the Maryland headquarters of the company on Oct. 31. A policy and advocacy director of NFB stated the company should "step out of the 1930s" and start using a model that creates legitimate training and job opportunities for disabled workers, while also paying them the federal minimum wage.
In an interview with Wisconsin Radio News, a director of workforce development for the company said that only 64 locations use the certificate, meaning about 101 stores pay all workers minimum wage or higher.
Time and attendance software can keep track of employee time in situations where meeting federal requirements is a concern.
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