The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) has been studying segregated work, sheltered environments, and the sub-minimum wage to determine whether they meet the needs of people with
disabilities and whether they comply with federal law. Unfortunately, what we found was disappointing to say the least. The product of this study is our call to action,―Segregated & Exploited: The Failure of the Disability Service System to Provide Quality Work. Through this report, NDRN casts a spotlight on the problems of segregated work, sheltered environments, and sub-minimum wages. This report identifies the barriers to employment that people with disabilities face and dispels myths about their capability to be fully employed, equally compensated, and an integral member of American workplaces and communities. It illustrates a systemic failure to provide hope and opportunity to young people with disabilities who want to transition into traditional work but instead wind up trapped in a sheltered workshop with little chance for something different.
