Subminimum Wage Employment and Sheltered Workshops: Overview and Recommendations

As of December 1, 2024, there were 751 employers with 14(c) certifications (or in pending applications) in the United States paying over 36,000 individuals with disabilities subminimum wage. Efforts across the states to eliminate subminimum wage to reach fair wage and employment first for people with disabilities have shown that this is a complex and urgent issue that remains unsolved. This article will provide a brief history regarding subminimum wage and sheltered workshops, discuss the current state of 14(c) employment across the country, the relationship between sheltered workshops and transition-age youth, briefly describe a model program being implemented in the state of Illinois and make recommendations on how to support competitive integrated employment (CIE) of people with disabilities. Supported and customized employment, parental attitudes, the role of the employment specialist, the importance of developing a transformative business model and providing benefits counseling will be briefly discussed.