"Our prices are low our staff is underpaid"

[leora]

So, I've been doing a little research, since I found out I bought products from a company that in 2009 (the time of the article I read) had an employee who was making an average wage of 11 cents an hour, legally, in the US. This is disturbing.

This article seems reasonably balanced about the issue of paying disabled employees below minimum wage

Comments

[shesfearless]

I totally agree with you that these places need oversight. This reminds me of the absurdity of the disability application process. It's like, if I can't do this then will you believe I'm disabled. :P

[elenbarathi]

If you're autistic enough to need services, you're too autistic to get them by yourself, and quite possibly too autistic to get anyone to help you get them

[leora]

A safe working environment is a right. A decent one is not.

By flexible schedule I meant when you are at work, which very few jobs will allow.

I agree with training people for the best jobs they are capable of, but I don't see how that relates at all.

[leora]

Also, how does the flexibility in the schedule not cost the employer? Right now, they are making the employee pay for the flexibility. If the employee chooses not to work, the employee may, but doesn't get paid for that time. Thus really low hourly wages. But if we make the employers pay, then they would be paying much higher amounts for much less productivity

[nella580]

I have a question actually, because I don't know how this works. When someone is mentally disabled are they still considered independent after the age of 18 or are they a ward of the state? Or a ward of a legal guardian? If there's someone overseeing their well being then they can also be in charge of reporting workplace abuse? I agree though, self reporting cannot be entrusted to someone who is incapable of advocating for themselves in this case.