What types of wages do AbilityOne Program employees earn?
On AbilityOne product contracts, employees are paid based on the prevailing industry wage for a specific locality. On AbilityOne service contracts, employees are paid in accordance with the Service Contract Act (SCA). As of FY 2004, the average hourly wage for an AbilityOne employee was $8.98 per hour (with some AbilityOne employees earning as much as $10 to $14 per hour), compared to the Federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour. AbilityOne wages allow for many people who are blind or have other severe disabilities to live more independent lives. Some AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies hold special certificates issued by the Department of Labor to pay employees a commensurate wage (a percentage of the prevailing wage) based on employee productivity.
