The number of people with disabilities working in subminimum wage employment has continued to diminish over time. At least 13 states have enacted laws that no longer allow employers to hold a 14(c) certificate (Jackson & Switzer, 2024, March), necessary to pay U.S. citizens less than minimum wage.
Program Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Total Closed Cases | 1,480 | 1,190 | 914 | 1,228 | 1,145 |
IPE | 1,193 | 1,035 | 802 | 1,109 | 1,036 |
Successful Employment Outcome | 493 | 416 | 347 | 484 | 451 |
Closures into Employment | 33% | 35% | 38% | 39% | 39% |
Rehabilitation Rate | 41% | 40% | 43% | 44% | 44% |
Weekly Earnings | $210.74 | $232.16 | $252 | $264 | $299 |
Hours Worked per Week | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
Average Days to Achieve Successful Employment Outcome | 758 | 770 | 800 | 789 | 848 |
Note 1. IPE=Individualized Plan for Employment.
Note 2. Rehabilitation Rate=% of Illinois DRS customers who signed an IPE who achieved a successful employment outcome (rehabilitated-status 26).
During this five-year period, the number of closed cases for Illinois DRS customers with intellectual disabilities each year are relatively similar except for 2019 with a notable larger proportion of closed cases (1,480) and 2021 with a substantial drop in closed cases (914). Most successful employment outcomes are competitive integrated employment (99.5%) with a range of closures into employment from 33% to 39%, and rehabilitation rate from 40% to 44%. Again, rehabilitation rate means the percentage of Illinois DRS customers who signed an IPE who achieved a successful employment outcome (rehabilitated-status 26). Average weekly earnings were $251.58 and there was an average of 20.6 hours worked per week with a slight upward trajectory. Finally, over this five-year period, the average days to achieve a successful employment outcome from application to closure is 793 days (or 2.17 years).
How Findings Can Be Utilized to Improve Competitive Integrative Employment (CIE) Practices and Strategies
The above data that illustrates competitive integrated employment trends for Illinois DRS customers with intellectual disabilities lead to the following recommendations to improve SWTCIE Illinois CIE practices and strategies.
- Use this data to understand typical CIE outcomes for Illinois DRS customers with intellectual disabilities (can provide context to serving SWTCIE participants)
- Engage in outreach to increase enrollments of SWTCIE participants
- Learn to apply new CIE practices and strategies to maximize the rehabilitation rate for SWTCIE participants
- Facilitate SWTCIE participant engagement to complete the VR process in a timely and effective manner
Bibliography
Illinois Department of Human Services. (2024). Employment first: Every skill counts. https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=80571
Illinois Institute for Rehabilitation and Employment Research, University of Illinois. (2024). Dignity in Pay Act. https://swtcieillinois.ahs.illinois.edu/dignity-in-pay-act/
Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston. (2024). Think Work! https://www.thinkwork.org/
Jackson, K., &, Switzer, E. (2024, March). Subminimum wage for people with disabilities: An examination of policies and systems. ILR Carow, Cornell University. https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/carow/carow-policy/subminimum-wage-people-disabilities
Search results for: State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency Data: VR Closures: All disabilities in Illinois during years: 2023: https://www.thinkwork.org/statedata/build-a-chart?report=single
Search results for: State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency Data: VR Closures: Intellectual Disabilities in Illinois during years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023: https://www.thinkwork.org/statedata/build-a-chart?report=single
U.S. Department of Labor (2024). 14c Certificate Holders. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/workers-with-disabilities/section-14c/certificate-holders