Sheltered Workshop Eligibility May Soon Be Limited

Federal lawmakers are moving forward with a plan to require most students with disabilities to try competitive employment before they could be employed by sheltered workshops.

The U.S. Senate voted 95 to 3 on Wednesday to approve a sweeping jobs bill known as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Tucked within the measure are significant changes for students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood.

Chiefly, the bill would prohibit individuals with disabilities age 24 and younger from working in jobs paying less than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour unless they first try vocational rehabilitation services, among other requirements. There are exceptions, however, for those already working for what’s known as subminimum wage and in cases where individuals are deemed ineligible for vocational rehabilitation.