State Representative Charlie Meier is leading a charge to oppose legislation that would require sheltered workshops like the Kaskaskia Workshop to pay minimum wage to their clients with intellectual and developmental disability.
Meier told a news conference in Springfield last week that the state needs to create opportunities before they close the others.
“There are 3591 clients we believe in the state of Illinois. Where this has been done in other states, a lot of times 70-80% of these residents never work again. So as you look at our clients here with the shirts on today, my work my choice, think about 2513 of them never working again at 70%.
Meier says service providers do a fantastic job, but many of them would be unable to pay minimum wage.
“A lot of their workers work at 12% of what a normal worker works. So in that 10 hour time they will pay that worker $140. Where one college student can do that job in 1 hour at $14.”
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities currently work under a 14c certificate. This certificate allows them to earn subminimum wage. Meier says this approach does two things: Provides job opportunities and allows service providers to offer efficient services to disabled individuals.
