Larry Simpson used to work in the sewing room of a disability enterprise. From 9am to 2pm, three days a week, he would count and sort bags of laundry from local hotels and hospitals. The work made him “very tired and drained”, the 36-year-old says.
Under the current national minimum wage of $23.23 an hour, Simpson could expect to earn $348.45 for his three days of labour. But he was paid $4.20 an hour – a total of $63 a week – a rate that’s only legal for one reason: because he has an intellectual disability.
