Firstregular Session-2015

127thMAINELEGISLATURE

FIRSTREGULAR SESSION-2015

LegislativeDocumentNo. 1240

S.P. 445In Senate,April 7, 2015

An Act ToPhaseOutthePaymentof SubminimumWagesto

WorkerswithDisabilities

ReferencetotheCommitteeonLabor,Commerce,ResearchandEconomicDevelopment suggestedandorderedprinted.

HEATHERJ.R.PRIEST Secretaryof theSenate

PresentedbySenatorKATZofKennebec.

CosponsoredbyRepresentativeHERBIGof Belfastand

Representatives:CAMPBELLofNewfield,GILBERTof Jay.

Printed onrecycledpaper

1Beitenacted bythePeople of the State ofMaine asfollows:

2Sec.1. 26 MRSA§666,asamended byPL2011, c.483, §1,isrepealed.

3Sec.2. 26 MRSA§673 is enactedtoread:

4§673. Specialwagecertificatesfor individualswithdisabilities

51. Specialcertificatesprohibited. BeginningNovember1,2015,thedirectormay

6notissuespecialcertificatesauthorizinganemployertopayanindividualwithaphysical

7ormentaldisabilityawagelessthantheminimumwagebasedontheindividual'sability

8toperformthedutiesrequiredforthatemploymentincomparisontotheabilityofa

9person who doesnothave aphysicalormentaldisabilityto performthe same duties.

102. Minimumwage. Exceptasprovidedbysubsection3,anemployermaynot

11employanyemployeeata rateless thantheratesrequired bysection 664.

123. Formerspecialcertificates. Aspecialcertificatedescribedinsubsection1,

13issuedpursuanttoformersection666orpursuanttofederallaw,remainsineffectuntil

14the earlierofits expirationdateand November1, 2018and maynotbe renewed.

154. Vocational rehabilitation services. The Department of Labor and the

16DepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesshallofferallindividualswithdisabilities

17beingpaidlessthanMaine'sminimumwagevocationalrehabilitationservicesatleast

18annually,includingcareerplanningassistanceandinformationandreferralsregarding

19resourcesofferingcompetitive employmentservices and supports.

205. Exemption. Aftertheexpirationofaspecialcertificatedescribedinsubsection1,

21theindividualwhowasemployedatlessthanminimumwagemayapplytothedirector

22foran individualwork permitauthorizing thepaymentofwagesatless than the minimum

23wagebyacertainemployer. Thepermitmuststatethelowestwagetobepaidandmust

24remainineffectwithregardtothatemployerin2-yearincrements. Thispermitwillbe

25granted onlyaftera formal review bythe DepartmentofLabor thatverifiesthefollowing:

26A. Individuallydesignedandcustomizedemploymentstrategieshavefailedtoyield

27integrated, community-based, customized employment or self-employment at or

28above minimumwage;

29B. The employer has made all possible efforts to provide reasonable

30accommodationstoassisttheindividualtoperformtheessentialfunctionsofthejob,

31including,butnotlimitedto,providingtraining,providingsupervisionandsupport,

32making physical changes to the workplace, tailoring the job to the individual's

33abilities orreassigningtheindividual toanotherposition;

34C. The individualagrees totheproposed wage rate;and

35D. Foranindividualwith anintellectual disabilityorautism, theindividualis

36engagingin a personalplanningprocesspursuant toTitle34-B, section 5470-B.

37Anindividualwhohasreceivedanadverseapplicationdecisionbythedirectormay

38appealtothecommissionerfromthatdeterminationbyfilingawrittennoticewiththe

1commissionerstatingthespecificgroundsofthatindividual'sobjectionwithin10days'

2noticeofthatdetermination. Thecommissionershallholdahearingontheappeal,

3pursuanttoTitle5,chapter375,subchapter4,within20daysfromthereceiptofthe

4noticeofappeal. Thecommissionerhastheauthoritytoaffirm,reverseoramendthe

5determinationofthedirector. Thecommissionershallrenderadecisionwithin10days

6aftertheconclusion of thehearing.

7Duringthetimethattheformalreviewisbeingconducted,duringthetimeanadverse

8applicationdecisionhasbeenmadeandappealhasnotbeenexhaustedorduringthetime

9thatagrievancefiledpursuanttoTitle34-B,section5604ispendingatanystage,the

10specialcertificateorindividualworkpermitremainsineffect,aslongastheemployer

11hascurrentfederalapproval for the wage pursuantto 29 United States Code,Section 214.

12SUMMARY

13Currently the State Government and Federal Government may issue special

14certificates permitting an employer to pay an individual with a physical or mental

15disabilityawagelessthantheState'sminimumwagebasedontheindividual'sabilityto

16performthedutiesrequiredforthatemploymentincomparisontotheabilityofaperson

17whodoesnothaveaphysicalormentaldisabilitytoperformthesameduties. Thisbill

18prohibits the issuance of such certificates.Existing special certificates authorizing

19payment of less than the minimum wage remain in effect until the earlier of their

20expirationdateandNovember1,2018.Aftertheexpirationofapreviouslyissued

21certificate,anindividualwhowascoveredbysuchcertificatemayapplytotheDirector

22oftheBureauofLaborStandardswithintheDepartmentofLaborforaspecialwork

23permitauthorizingthepaymentofwagesatlessthantheminimumwageratebyacertain

24employer.