Task Force on Eliminating Subminimum Wages meeting summary: Feb. 8, 2022
Agenda items
1. Welcome and introductions, online process norms, member resources
2. Task force legislative overview and charge
3. Selection of the task force chair
4. Task force organization and timeline
5. Next steps
Action: Task force adopts co-chair model and elects co-chairs
In keeping with requirements for the task force under state law, members chose leaders. The call for nominations produced two candidates for chair: Andrea Zuber and Jillian Nelson. Jillian said she would accept the nomination if she and Andrea could serve as co-chairs but would otherwise need to decline. Andrea supported this approach. The task force then conducted two roll call votes:
Presentations, questions, discussions and notes
Welcome from Stacy Twite
Stacy Twite, chief of staff, Department of Human Services (DHS) thanked members for serving on the task force, noted the importance of their work on subminimum wages and expressed excitement for what the task force will do and produce.
Presentation on legislative charge and objectives
Ryan Merz of the state’s Disability Services Division (DSD) reviewed the Minnesota Legislature’s charge to the task force “to develop a plan and make recommendations to phase out payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities on or before Aug. 1, 2025.” Ryan also reviewed sections of the law creating the task force to highlight work the Minnesota Legislature has asked members to carry out. (See meeting document with slides, pages 8-11, for more detail.)
Questions and clarifications:
In response to questions from task force members, Ryan clarified reference in the law to phasing out the subminimum wage “on or before Aug. 1, 2025.” In developing its plan to phase out subminimum wages, the task force should design the plan to accomplish that by Aug. 1, 2025. However, it is up to the Minnesota Legislature or the U.S. Congress, not the task force, to eliminate subminimum wages. The task force will present its plan to the Legislature for legislators to use as they consider action regarding subminimum wages. The task force does not have the authority to end use of subminimum wages.
A task force member also asked for clarification about the role of the task force in advising DHS “on statewide plans for limiting subminimum wages,” as distinct from eliminating them. Ryan said his interpretation is that this section of state law relates to limiting use of subminimum wages even as the state allows subminimum wages for employed people with disabilities. This is about advice the task force can offer DHS for how to move toward more competitive, integrated employment for workers with disabilities.
Presentation on key dates
Karen Gaides from Management Analysis and Development (MAD) reviewed key dates for the task force, including Feb. 15, 2023, when the task force submits its report with recommendations to the Legislature, and March 31, 2024, when the task force is expected to end. Jake Granholm from MAD also walked through a timeline for the task force. (See meeting document with slides, pages 12 and 18, for more detail.)
Questions and clarifications:
A task force member asked what the task force would do between the time it completes its report for the Legislature and its end date. Lesli Kerkhoff of DSD said it is not known what work the task force might carry out after submitting its report, if any, but that requests or action by the Legislature might lead to more that the task force could do in that period through March 31, 2024.
Presentation on provider reinvention grants
Ryan shared information with task force members about provider reinvention grants, created under state law at the same time as the task force. These grants are designed to help providers, people with disabilities and their families all transition away from subminimum wages. The Legislature allocated $14.1 million for the grants from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2024. (See meeting document with slides, pages 13-14, for more detail.)
Request for additional subminimum wage data
A task force member asked for better baseline data on the number of employers that pay subminimum wages to people with disabilities and on the number of people with disabilities who earn subminimum wages. Other task force members said that existing data may miss counts for counties and that the current numbers likely reflect a decline in employment among people with disabilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial background brief from DSD and MAD, shared with task force members in advance of the meeting, includes available but imperfect data on employers and workers from the federal government, based on records for 14(c) certificate holders. That same brief includes data, also limited, from Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development on career counseling, information and referral conversations with people with disabilities who earn subminimum wages. DSD and MAD said they would research whether other, better data sources exist and share what they learn with the task force.
Request for real-time transcription during task force meetings
Several members of the task force requested closed caption or real-time transcription. The YouTube live stream for non-members includes real-time transcription. MAD said it would explore transcription options for the task force.
Future meetings
Noting the significant work the task force must complete in a limited time, MAD raised the possibility of extending the two-hour task force meetings by a half hour or an hour. MAD said it would poll members to get reactions to that idea. In response to the questions noted below, MAD said it would also poll members about best days to meet. The second meeting, like this first one, will be held on the second Tuesday of the month (March 8) from 10-12.
Questions and clarifications:
With regard to meeting times longer than two hours, one member said Tuesdays are a challenge for task force members who work on legislative issues during Minnesota’s legislative session because Tuesdays are busy days for committee hearings and other legislative meetings. Another member asked if the stipend that eligible members receive per task force meeting would be increased if the meetings are extended to longer than two hours.
Another member asked how key topics would be identified for future meetings. Karen from MAD said the task force will determine those topics, likely with support from the task force planning committee members, including the co-chairs, DSD staff and MAD staff.
Participants
Task force members
Others
Next task force meeting
Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 10 a.m. to noon, online
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