Tom Cotton Unveils 18-Plus Bill to Expand Subminimum Wage Access for Disabled Workers
Updated
Updated · Arkansas Online · Jul 15
Tom Cotton Unveils 18-Plus Bill to Expand Subminimum Wage Access for Disabled Workers
1 articles · Updated · Arkansas Online · Jul 15
Summary
Cotton on Wednesday introduced the Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act, letting people with disabilities enter the Section 14(c) subminimum-wage program at age 18 without completing current federal service requirements.
Current law requires workers under 24 to finish steps such as preemployment transition services before taking subminimum-wage jobs; Cotton's bill would also let certified employers hire if a state fails to provide required counseling and referrals.
Nearly 40,000 people with disabilities were working under Section 14(c) as of November 2024, according to the GAO, and the Labor Department lists 36 Arkansas employers certified for the program.
Arkansas nonprofits including MARVA Workshop and Abilities Unlimited backed the bill as a way to cut red tape for 18-to-24-year-olds, while Disability Rights Arkansas said workers with disabilities should receive at least minimum wage in integrated jobs.
The measure lands after the Biden administration tried to phase out 14(c) in late 2024 and the Trump Labor Department later withdrew that proposal, preserving a program that remains sharply contested.