Statement of Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 4, 2024 – On Tuesday morning, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to phase out certificates under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which permits employers to pay disabled workers well below the federal minimum wage. The notice will give community members, advocates and allies the opportunity to weigh in on the proposal and the importance of equitable pay practices for disabled workers. Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, released this statement:
“The Department of Labor’s announcement of a proposed rule to eliminate the subminimum wage for disabled workers is an important step to right the wrongs disabled workers have faced for generations and help ensure meaningful inclusion of disabled workers in the labor market. Currently, when looking at all workers, disabled women workers overall are paid just 50 cents for every dollar that nondisabled men are paid. This disparity is why we also support action by Congress to pass the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act and permanently eliminate this harmful disparity in pay to ensure no worker is exploited simply because they are disabled.
“While the number of disabled people in the workforce is growing, disabled people are more likely to work part time, contributing to their large overall wage gap. Substantial wage gaps also persist for disabled women workers who work full time, year round: they are paid just 67 cents for every dollar paid to nondisabled men. And the compounding effects of racism, ableism, classism and sexism mean the wage gap is often wider for disabled women of color.
“The investments companies and organizations make in diversity, equity and inclusion reveal the values that are important to those organizations. And when those companies provide equitable pay for workers, it affirms the importance of financial stability, security, and independence for every worker from every community. This is especially true for disabled workers.
“We commend the DOL’s announcement and efforts to move us closer to fairer pay practices and economic security for disabled women workers, while also removing the ableist barriers that have held them back for far too long.”
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