Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a section which was written in 1938 law, permits employers to pay subminimum wages to workers who have disabilities. This section of the FLSA states that employers must apply to the Department of Labor for a waiver to do so, with the caveat that subminimum wages…
A recent evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education concluded that the state of Michigan requires intervention due to its failure to meet the federal special education requirements outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In fact, Michigan was the only state slated for intervention (although some other states also failed to meet…
The demand for home care is on the rise, in large part because the number of Americans age 85 and older will more than double over the next few decades. Researchers project that by 2026, an additional one million home caregivers will be needed. This is worrisome, because there is already a dire shortage of…
Recent reports have indicated that disabled students, and especially black students with disabilities, face inequitable disciplinary action in schools. Here, we’ll first discuss how schools punish students with disabilities at much higher rates than their non-disabled peers. We’ll then examine the intersectionality of disability and race as they pertain to school suspensions and lost instruction….
Although some group homes are safe places with caring, competent staff, recent news indicates that these may be the exception rather than the rule. People with disabilities are regularly abused and neglected in group homes. Incidents are severely underreported, and the guilty parties often face no consequences. In a 2016 exposé in the Chicago Tribune,…
In recent years, the Texas government has been shockingly indifferent to the needs of children with disabilities. The state legislature has greatly restricted access to vital educational and medical resources, leaving thousands of parents in a quandary – to put it very mildly – over how to provide for their children. Moreover, the state government…
In recent months, the pervasive nightmare that is sexual assault has been gaining some much-needed public attention. The #MeToo movement, which was originally started by activist Tarana Burke about a decade ago, went viral in October. People began sharing their personal stories of assault and harassment on social media, or simply posting “Me, too,” so…
Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is a private non-profit organization dedicated to advancing and protecting the civil rights of Marylanders with disabilities. DRM advocates for, and provides legal services to, people with many different conditions: developmental delays, physical limitations, traumatic brain injuries, sensory issues, and more. The scope of DRM’s work is too broad to fully…
How do I communicate with my professors about my disability? Sharing information about your disability is a personal matter. Disability support services on campus, will not contact your professors to inform them of your disability even if you register with them. The best times to talk to your professors are at the end of class,…
