News
Report: Task Force to Eliminate Subminimum Wage in South Carolina
March 13, 2025
On August 1, 2024, South Carolina began a new chapter by ending the era of subminimum wage. Since 1938, employers were allowed to pay people with disabilities less than the minimum wage—sometimes less than $1 an hour. Disability Rights South Carolina (DRSC), Able SC, and other advocacy organizations spent years fighting to end this practice and ensure fair wages for all workers. In May 2022, South Carolina’s Governor signed a bill eliminating subminimum wage, making South Carolina the thirteenth state in the nation to pass such legislation. This bill created a Task Force on Eliminating the Subminimum Wage to further support the transition from subminimum wage.
This Task Force has now published a report called “Report: Task Force to Eliminate Subminimum Wage in South Carolina”. This report includes a plan to continue transitioning people into more competitive and integrated employment now that South Carolina has eliminated the subminimum wage and all individuals have transitioned from being paid an unfair wage. Eliminating subminimum wage in South Carolina represents a critical step toward fostering a more inclusive and equitable economy. Through collaboration among policymakers, employers, and advocates, the measures in the law will ensure all workers are afforded dignity, respect, and fair compensation for their contributions.