Your elected officials need to hear directly from YOU so they can understand how fair and equitable employment for adults with disabilities has an impact on your life.
Understanding Employment Rights
People with disabilities deserve the same right to work and contribute to their communities as their non-disabled peers. There are a number of laws that affect the employment rights of people with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to get a job and to successfully perform their job duties to the same extent as people without disabilities.
The ADA requires reasonable accommodations as they relate to three aspects of employment:
- Ensuring equal opportunity in the application process.
- Enabling a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job.
- Making it possible for an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment.
A few examples of reasonable accommodations include: physical changes to make a workplace more accessible; acquiring or modifying equipment to be accessible and compatible with assistive technology; and providing sign language interpreters or closed captioning at meetings or events.
Other laws besides the ADA have an effect on employment rights for people with disabilities. In Michigan and many other states, it is still legal for some employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage.
Section 14[c] of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to apply for a 14[c] certificate. The certificate authorizes these employers to pay a subminimum wage to workers with disabilities. This means people with disabilities are allowed to be paid LESS than the state or federal minimum wage.
A January 2023 report found most people with disabilities working under a 14[c] certificate earned less than $3.50 per hour. On February 21, 2025, Michigan's minimum wage was raised to $12.48 per hour.
Not only are workers with disabilities paid less, but many subminimum wage jobs place individuals in what is commonly referred to as a sheltered workshop. A sheltered workshop is a segregated employment setting where people with disabilities do not interact with their non-disabled peers. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), only 5% of workers transition to community-based employment because of the limitations of how skills are learned in sheltered workshops.
What are some current issues facing Education Rights for people with disabilities?
The average employment rate for people with disabilities remains significantly lower than for those without disabilities. The employment gap is due to several factors, including barriers in hiring, accessibility and workplace inclusion.
Adults with disabilities are often paid less than their non-disabled peers for similar work. 14[c] certificates and sheltered workshops create a wage disparity for people with disabilities. Sheltered workshops may also limit how people with disabilities learn skills that can set them up for a successful future.
Even when people with disabilities are employed, they may struggle with job retention and career advancement. Lack of reasonable accommodations, discrimination, reliable transportation options and insufficient support in the workplace all factor into job retention.
Additionally, young adults with disabilities transitioning from school to work may face gaps in services or lack access to job coaching, internships or vocational training.
All of these issues play a role in creating an environment where people with disabilities may encounter barriers to maintaining community-based employment.
Why Your Voice Matters
Laws and regulations that affect the employment of people with disabilities can have an impact on workers with disabilities. Policymakers benefit from understanding your experience with the current employment system and the challenges you and your family have faced. By sharing your lived experiences, you can educate your elected officials and help them learn what's working - and what isn't.
Take Action: Educate Your Elected Officials
Act now to educate your elected officials about your experience with employment for people with disabilities! Here's how:
✍️ Use this form to write a message to their office.
📞 Call their district offices.
🏦 Attend a town hall or community event they are hosting.
📣 Encourage your friends, family members, and allies to contact Congress.
Your Voice Can Make a Difference
Lawmakers need to hear directly from people who have lived experience. By speaking up, you are making sure your legislators hear from people who are directly affected by the laws they vote on. Don't wait - take action today!
Additional Resources
Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace Guide
U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)