Minot, North Dakota – According to a Department of Labor report provided by the Association of People Supporting Employment First, the number of license holders earning less than the federal minimum wage has been declining countrywide.
Statewide, the numbers decreased as well.
According to Nathan Svihovec, the labor commissioner for North Dakota, there are 218 people with disabilities who are now working for salaries below the minimum wage and around nine license holders.
He said that there would be 14 14c license holders and about 620 sub-minimum employees in 2020.
“Often times, these individuals that are getting a subminimum wage, they may not be able to ever qualify for a lot of positions, because the essential functions at some of those are going to probably disqualify these individuals; so, this allows them to actually get out and learn some skills,” said Svihovec.
He claimed that nonprofit sectors like churches, thrift shops, and government affiliations are where this group normally operates.
