Atlanta, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Hundreds of disabled Georgia workers can be paid for under the minimum wage, and everything is legal.
In section 14 (c) of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA), employers can pay lower wages with disabilities after receiving a certificate from the wage and hourly department, the earnings of which are affected or productive capacity.
The dignity and the salary law require the community's rehabilitation programs, which their workers or the minimum wage will pay over the minimum wage by 2027.
According to the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), eight rehabilitation programs in the municipality received 14 ° C for around 250 employees. The GCDD said the reported low wages are 22 cents per hour.
During a hearing last month, some representatives of the programs stated that they were working to increase wages. Others suggest that they have no plans.
The law was passed in the Senate Georgia. During the hearing of the House Committee, several legislators expressed their support for the legislation.
“It is important that we show our people that they are worth and that it is not worth 22 cents per hour,” said the Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R-dalton).
Public records show that most programs make a profit. One of the managers with a salary of more than 230,000 US dollars.
Senator Billy Hickman sponsors the bill.
“It is only common sense that employees receive a minimum wage,” said Hickman.
At the hearing, Leah Soller said that her girlfriend was paid for the same disability for every shirt that she was folding.
“Your manager looked over her shoulder and time to see exactly how many shirts she could fold and how many clothes she could put on in a certain time and would then pay for it,” said Soller.
The law was unanimously passed by the committee.
Sheryl Arno, managing director of the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta, said she felt that it was the last hurdle. Now you are expecting the bill will pass.
Arno said
“They want to be part of the community. They pay taxes in order. They choose. They want to get married. They have the same hopes and dreams, but they have to be estimated in the same light,” said Arno.
Some program directors testified in the committee last month that they may have to close, but legislators say that the programs should use their profits to pay their employees a fair wage.
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