Wage Hike Now Possible for Employees with Disability
Endeavour Foundation is calling upon the Australian Government to implement an immediate wage offset policy that ensures people with disability receive at least the national minimum wage.
Today, Thursday 19th September 2024, Endeavour Foundation and National Disability Services released the Taylor Fry Report: Modelling of the supported employment population, which provides compelling evidence to support the transition to at least the minimum wage for employees with intellectual disability.
The Disability Royal Commission unanimously recommended raising wages for the more than 17,000 employees with intellectual disability in Australia to the level of the national minimum wage.
The leading disability service provider says a wage offset is the most straightforward and equitable way of achieving the minimum wage for employees with intellectual disability.
“It will also get more people on the NDIS into employment,” said David Swain, Endeavour Foundation CEO.
“We are proposing the Commonwealth Government create a wage offset that is paid to employees with intellectual disability whose current income falls below the minimum wage.
“All Australians should be entitled to national minimum wage rates. Paying an increased wage ensures dignity, equality and respect for all working Australians,” he added.
Endeavour Foundation says the report demonstrates a government wage offset is simple and a relatively inexpensive way to raise wages for employees with intellectual disability.
“The report found that implementing the minimum wage through a wage offset would cost the government $165 million per year,” Mr Swain said
“The Disability Social Enterprise sector already provides $225 million annual value to Government, which is significantly less than the cost of the wage offset.
“For every new job that is created by a wage offset, there are significant savings in NDIS supports for people with high support needs,” he said.
Mr Swain says that big policy changes like this take time and effort.
“We are calling on government to take serious and tangible action, to urgently improve wages.
“Specifically, we are calling on the Commonwealth Government to review the detail of the Taylor Fry Report and develop a roadmap to secure employment options for people with intellectual disability.
“We can’t do this alone, but with the help from government, we can create a more inclusive future of work for people with intellectual disability,” David Swain concluded.