The following letter was submitted to The Leader Publications on Sunday, March 2, 2025. It has not yet been selected for publication.

Lafayette JeffCo (formerly Jeffco Subcontracting Inc.) stains our county’s reputation. This organization has utilized the culturally outdated 14(c) certification to pay workers with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) below the minimum wage for decades. The company rates a worker’s efficiency and then uses that rating to justify their subminimum wage pay. In an article on the City of Arnold’s website, the organization’s then-executive director said, “If an employee produces 50% of what a non-disabled person produces, they’re paid 50% of what that person makes.”

Lafayette JeffCo touts its production line as having competitive pricing. However, its business model revolves around paying disabled workers as little as possible to maintain competitive rates. Why would they ensure someone is paid a fair wage if it took away their competitive edge? Who advocates for the rights of the workers?

Lafayette JeffCo speaks about the smiles and pride of the workers who have jobs, insinuating that these workers would be without jobs if not for them. A study published by JAMA Health Forum found that labor force participation increased after Maryland and New Hampshire repealed their subminimum wage allowances. Paying disabled workers below minimum wage isn’t an opportunity for independence; it is a barrier. 

People with IDD deserve the same minimum wage that we all do. To say they don’t is to say that they are less human. Lafayette JeffCo should not be allowed to profit from the segregation and exploitation of disabled people in our community.

If you are a business owner working with Lafayette JeffCo (formerly JSI), ask yourself: Do you want your brand’s image associated with an organization that pays disabled workers below the minimum wage?