H.R. 8736 · In committee · Labor and Employment

Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act

Sponsor: Glenn Grothman (R-WI)

What it does

• Relaxes requirements for entities with a special wage certificate to pay subminimum wages to individuals with disabilities.
• Eliminates the requirement that an individual with a disability age 24 or younger receive pre-employment transition services and meet vocational rehabilitation criteria before subminimum wage work.
• Deems the career counseling and referral requirement met if the employer documents an effort to contact the state agency for those resources and the agency fails to provide them.
• Was ordered reported by the committee on an 18 to 15 vote.

Official summary

Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act This bill relaxes requirements that allow entities with a special wage certificate to pay subminimum wages to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the bill eliminates a requirement that an individual with a disability who is age 24 or younger receive pre-employment transition services and meet specified vocational rehabilitation criteria before beginning subminimum wage work. The bill also relaxes career counseling and service referral requirements that apply to an individual with a disability who is paid at a subminimum wage. Current law requires an entity to ensure that an individual employed at subminimum wage receives periodic career counseling, information, and referrals to other services from the designated state agency. Under the bill, this requirement is met if the employer makes a documented effort to contact the state agency for those resources on behalf of the employee, and the state agency subsequently fails to provide the counseling, information, and referrals.

Latest action

May 21, 2026: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.

Committee: House Education and Workforce