So instead of getting paid below minimum wage you’d rather they don’t get paid at all?
Volunteer positions also often cannot provide the often increased need for supervision and guidance, especially for new or atypical tasks.
To be honest, I don’t know every individual business, but the vast majority of businesses that I know that hire people with mental (or sometimes physical) impairment do so as part of a social goal to give back to society. We have a shop around my hometown where they fix bicycles. Takes longer and you often have a neurotypical supervisor that jumps in if needed, but at the end it’s a great way to give these people a place in society and a small pay that they can see as their contribution to their family (or their own lives).
Oh, I don’t think they should take the volunteer positions, but if companies want unpaid labor, that’s their option… Not “hey Joe, you know how Pat is kinda, special? Do you think we could just… You know, cut their pay? Do you think that they would notice?”
Because that’s what I get from vibe of the article.
Volunteer should be a choice that someone can make. To choose to be there without pay to do something because you want to help out. Generally for things like a outreach programme or something… I volunteered a few hours of my time and a few gallons of gas to drive out there, to help clean up a neighborhood that was overgrown and had drug paraphernalia (like needles) and other debris around. I’ve also volunteered to do communications for charity events, and I’ve done a huge amount of volunteering as a first-aider, back in the day. It’s good to volunteer your time every once and a while.
But if someone is showing up for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and they’re considered a “volunteer”, shit is fucked up.
I used to work rather extensively with a local Goodwill (like) company, at my previous job. They had a deli/kitchen kind of storefront on one of their sites and they employed several people with various challenges over the years, and I’m certain each and every one was a paid employee. I ate there often to show my support.
And that’s what it should be. There was always someone around (full time permanent employee) who was able to supervise and handle anything that might unexpectedly happen.
So instead of getting paid below minimum wage you’d rather they don’t get paid at all?
Volunteer positions also often cannot provide the often increased need for supervision and guidance, especially for new or atypical tasks.
To be honest, I don’t know every individual business, but the vast majority of businesses that I know that hire people with mental (or sometimes physical) impairment do so as part of a social goal to give back to society. We have a shop around my hometown where they fix bicycles. Takes longer and you often have a neurotypical supervisor that jumps in if needed, but at the end it’s a great way to give these people a place in society and a small pay that they can see as their contribution to their family (or their own lives).
Oh, I don’t think they should take the volunteer positions, but if companies want unpaid labor, that’s their option… Not “hey Joe, you know how Pat is kinda, special? Do you think we could just… You know, cut their pay? Do you think that they would notice?”
Because that’s what I get from vibe of the article.
Volunteer should be a choice that someone can make. To choose to be there without pay to do something because you want to help out. Generally for things like a outreach programme or something… I volunteered a few hours of my time and a few gallons of gas to drive out there, to help clean up a neighborhood that was overgrown and had drug paraphernalia (like needles) and other debris around. I’ve also volunteered to do communications for charity events, and I’ve done a huge amount of volunteering as a first-aider, back in the day. It’s good to volunteer your time every once and a while.
But if someone is showing up for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and they’re considered a “volunteer”, shit is fucked up.
I used to work rather extensively with a local Goodwill (like) company, at my previous job. They had a deli/kitchen kind of storefront on one of their sites and they employed several people with various challenges over the years, and I’m certain each and every one was a paid employee. I ate there often to show my support.
And that’s what it should be. There was always someone around (full time permanent employee) who was able to supervise and handle anything that might unexpectedly happen.