Okay I might get downvotes for this but it’s not as straightforward as it seems.
I worked with some special needs adults as part of a program when I was in college. They were paid based upon their output assembling small parts for a nearby factory. They had all costs paid for by the state due to not being able to hold a real job. This “job” gave them something to look forward to and got them out of their group home. They got to keep all the money they made and were able to use it for things like going out for coffee and such. They didn’t have living expenses and most importantly they were not EXPECTED to work - it was a fully optional program just to give them something to do. All of the adults LOVED it and even though they were really slow and easily distracted they had fun. The program got shut down my senior year and they all were very upset about it.
I think it’s very important to have protections to ensure that people are not exploited but in some cases it just doesn’t make sense to pay them a “livable” wage because simply put, all their living expenses were already covered, and they couldn’t output enough to make it a viable option for the company to pay minimum wage.
I'm not saying it's right but I work in this field and if our guys make a certain amount of money at their jobs they lose all the funding they get from the government. Their quality life would actually go down if they made more money at their jobs.
So, this debate on the BBC was prompted by comments from a Tory welfare minister at the time. He was covertly recorded at a Tory party conference where he was talking about how to encourage employers to take on more people with disabilities - he was actually responding to a question from the father of a severely disabled person who wanted to work, but was finding it very difficult to get a job and suggested his son would have more luck if the employer wasn’t bound by minimum wage laws. Don’t get me wrong - the Conservative welfare policies are utterly, utterly terrible for disabled people, and personally I think everyone should get a decent wage. But, it was something worth debating, which is what the BBC were doing. And the journo - Emma Barnett - frequently destroys politicians from all sides with her well informed and razor sharp, yet ostensibly easy going questioning. So basically, it’s complicated.
SparkyWolf69 on May 30th, 2021 at 17:41 UTC »
Okay I might get downvotes for this but it’s not as straightforward as it seems.
I worked with some special needs adults as part of a program when I was in college. They were paid based upon their output assembling small parts for a nearby factory. They had all costs paid for by the state due to not being able to hold a real job. This “job” gave them something to look forward to and got them out of their group home. They got to keep all the money they made and were able to use it for things like going out for coffee and such. They didn’t have living expenses and most importantly they were not EXPECTED to work - it was a fully optional program just to give them something to do. All of the adults LOVED it and even though they were really slow and easily distracted they had fun. The program got shut down my senior year and they all were very upset about it.
I think it’s very important to have protections to ensure that people are not exploited but in some cases it just doesn’t make sense to pay them a “livable” wage because simply put, all their living expenses were already covered, and they couldn’t output enough to make it a viable option for the company to pay minimum wage.
AlkaseltzerPigeon on May 30th, 2021 at 18:33 UTC »
I'm not saying it's right but I work in this field and if our guys make a certain amount of money at their jobs they lose all the funding they get from the government. Their quality life would actually go down if they made more money at their jobs.
ihavenoopalfruitonme on May 30th, 2021 at 19:35 UTC »
So, this debate on the BBC was prompted by comments from a Tory welfare minister at the time. He was covertly recorded at a Tory party conference where he was talking about how to encourage employers to take on more people with disabilities - he was actually responding to a question from the father of a severely disabled person who wanted to work, but was finding it very difficult to get a job and suggested his son would have more luck if the employer wasn’t bound by minimum wage laws. Don’t get me wrong - the Conservative welfare policies are utterly, utterly terrible for disabled people, and personally I think everyone should get a decent wage. But, it was something worth debating, which is what the BBC were doing. And the journo - Emma Barnett - frequently destroys politicians from all sides with her well informed and razor sharp, yet ostensibly easy going questioning. So basically, it’s complicated.