,,ii  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bjja  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,august #e1    
#bjae ,ms4 ,ayotte introduced the       
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,health1 
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a   
,,bill  ,to phase out special wage      
certificates under section #ad7;c7 of   
the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of     
#aich that allow individuals with       
disabilities to be paid at subminimum   
wage rates4  #a4 ,short title  ,this    
,act may be cited as the ,transitioning 
to ,integrated and ,meaningful          
,employment ,act or ,,time ,act4  #b4   
,findings ,congress finds the following3
 7#a7 ,section #ad7;c7 of the ,fair     
,labor ,standards ,act 7referred to in  
this section as ,section #ad7;c77 7#bi  
,u4,s4,c4 #bad7;c77 allows the          
,secretary of ,labor to grant special   
wage certificates to certain entities1  
allowing such entities to pay           
individuals with disabilities subminimum

 wages4  7#b7 ,advancements in          
vocational rehabilitation1 technology1  
and training provide workers with       
disabilities with greater opportunities 
than in the #aicjs1 when ,section       
#ad7;c7 was passed4 ,when provided the  
proper rehabilitation services1         
training1 tools1 and expectations1      
employees with disabilities can be as   
productive as nondisabled employees4    
7#c7 ,the ,office of ,disability        
,employment ,policy of the ,department  
of ,labor continues to support the      
development and implementation of new   
innovative tools and strategies1 like   
,customized ,employment and the         
,discovery process1 that have resulted  
in the successful training and          
employment of individuals with          
significant disabilities1 allowing them 
to obtain competitive integrated        
employment4  7#d7 ,in ,august of #bjab1 
the ,national ,council on ,disability   
7referred to in this section as the     
,,ncd71 an independent ,federal agency  

tasked with making recommendations to   
the ,president about disability-related 
policy matters1 released its report on  
subminimum wage and supported           
employment4 ,the ,,ncd unanimously      
recommended that the ,department of     
,labor immediately stop issuing new     
special wage certificates4 ,in addition1
 ,,ncd recommended that the ,section    
#ad7;c7 program be phased out44  7#e7   
,programs1 such as the ,vermont         
,conversion ,institute1 exist to help   
entities holding ,section #ad7;c7       
certificates transition their business  
models in order to ensure integrated1   
meaningful employment that provides     
compensation of at least the ,federal   
minimum wage for all of their employees4
 ,vermont does not have any ,section    
#ad7;c7 certificate holders in the      
,state4 ,twenty-two ,states were        
represented at the seventh ,conversion  
,institute forum in #bjac1 where        
entities holding ,section #ad7;c7       
certificates learned strategies from    

others that had already transitioned    
their businesses1 in order to seamlessly
 make the change themselves4  7#f7 ,as  
of ,may #bjae1 no ,section #ad7;c7      
certificates are held by any entity in  
the ,state of ,new ,hampshire4 ,by using
 innovative strategies1 the #c entities 
that held ,section #ad7;c7 certificates 
in #bjac transitioned their business    
models to ensure that all employees are 
meeting their full vocational potential1
 proving that transition is possible and
 that ,section #ad7;c7 certificates are 
unnecessary4  #c4 ,transition to fair   
wages  7a7 ,discontinuance ,during the  
period beginning on the date of         
enactment of this ,act and ending on the
 date that is #c years after such date  
of enactment1 the ,secretary of ,labor  
shall not issue any special wage        
certificate under section #ad7;c7 of the
 ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich  
7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bad7;c77 to any entity  
unless the issuance is a renewal of a   
special wage certificate previously     

issued to the entity4  7b7 ,transition  
,any special wage certificate issued or 
renewed under section #ad7;c7 of the    
,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich   
7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bad7;c77 shall be void  
as of the date that is #c years after   
the date of enactment of this ,act4  7c7
 ,repeal ,effective on the date that is 
#c years after the date of enactment of 
this ,act1 section #ad7;c7 of the ,fair 
,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi    
,u4,s4,c4 #bad7;c77 is repealed4