Sub Minimum Wage for Persons with Severe Disabilities: Comparative Perspectives

Mapping the terrain of disability legislation: the case of Israel

“…These regulations enable employers to pay persons with disabilities with a 'diminished work capacity' wages that are below the mandatory minimum wage. The wage is determined according to the severity on one's impairment -the greater the inability to work caused by the impairement, the lower the wage (see Soffer, Tal-Katz, and Rimmerman 2011;Soffer and Rimmerman 2013). Similarly, another recent example is the Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities Employed as Rehabilitated Persons (Temporary Provision) Law of 2007, which determines that rehabilitees -that is, 'persons with extremly low work capacity or ability' -cannot be employed.…”

“…Specifically, we set out to examine the extent of bio-medical and rights-based legislation in Israel. Previous studies on disability policies in Israel have focused on specific legislation or cases (see, for example, Gal 2002;Gal and Bar 2000;Mor 2005;Soffer and Rimmerman 2013;Soffer, Tal-Katz, and Rimmerman 2011). This study aims to address all disability legislation in Israel as well as to test the trends and changes in this legislation.…”

‘Not Worth the Minimum Wage?’ Unpacking the Complexities of Intellectual Disability and its Intersection with Employment Structures

“…However it could be repackaged, an exemption to the NMW fuels debate. While it has the potential to be an effective labour market policy designed to enhance employment opportunity and facilitate integration, it can also perpetuate the cultural attachments and meanings of reduced worth and portray disability as equating to both non-productivity and dependency (Soffer, Tal-Katz & Rimmerman 2011). While an exemption to the NMW is not the solution, and caution should be applied to any such notions of simplistic policy responses, a resolution is required.…”

Productivity-Based Wages and Employment of People With Disabilities: International Usage and Policy Considerations

“…In such systems, workers receive a pro-rated wage based on percentage of work output relative to a workplace standard for the job duties and specific tasks to be performed (Healy, 2010). The “standard” against which work productivity is determined is calculated based on a sampling of nondisabled workers in the same workplace performing the same tasks (Disability Employment Services, Australia, 2018b; Soffer et al, 2011). To date, there has been limited investigation of the reach of such programs internationally, or their success in improving employment outcomes.…”

“…There are myriad points of debate, however, associated with compensation of persons with disability who have reduced productive capacity. While the comparative worth argument may suggest that those who produce work with lower efficiency should be paid at levels commensurate with their productivity (Sorenson, 1994), the justice of this position may be challenged by a competing humanitarian argument that rests in the fact that their reduced productivity is not of their own volition (Soffer et al, 2011). It may also be argued that contribution cannot be determined by work output alone, particularly in view of the challenges with work valuation noted above (Callahan, 2010).…”