Statement on President Biden signing executive order raising the minimum wage paid by federal contractors
Portland, Oregon—Today, President Biden signed an executive order raising the minimum wage paid by federal contractors to $15 an hour, including contract employees with disabilities paid less than minimum wage under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Disability Rights Oregon Executive Director Jake Cornett issued the following statement in response.
Statement from Jake Cornett, Executive Director, Disability Rights Oregon
“We applaud President Biden for ordering that the $15 minimum wage for federal contract workers applies equally to contractors with disabilities. This is a small step forward in the fight for equality. For more than 80 years, a special carve out in U.S. labor law has allowed employers to pay people with disabilities less than other workers. While we've worked to eliminate this in Oregon, the possibilities for workers with disabilities should not be diminished anywhere in our country.”
About
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Rights Oregon upholds the civil rights of people with disabilities to live, work, and engage in the community. The nonprofit works to transform systems, policies, and practices to give more people the opportunity to reach their full potential. For more than 40 years, the organization has served as Oregon’s Protection & Advocacy system.
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