OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill to prevent paying sub-minimum wage to persons with disabilities passed the Washington State senate last Thursday.
SB5284 would eliminate so-called sub-minimum wage certificates that allow employers to pay disabled employees less than minimum wage.
Democrat Emily Randall called it an issue of fairness , saying that continuing to allow disabled people to be paid less than others is “allowing the practice of treating our neighbors as less than.”
Republican Sharon Brown said the law would hurt the people it was intended, to help.
Brown said the people who will benefit from the bill are the people from the state who are employed to find those additional jobs that don’t exist in her district.
The bill was co-sponsored by 40th District Senator Liz Lovelett.