This may not be allowed in this sub, but I absolutely think that the plight of people unable to enter the workforce due to disability needs to be heard, and I think this sub has a lot of people that will listen.
This is coming from an Australian perspective, and my limited understanding from US pensions suspect that my US counterparts may even fair worse. To be clear, if you fair worse – you have my sympathy and I’m sorry, but please do not discount these struggles as this is a likely indication that every person with a disability that cannot work is being trodden on by the system/government.
The minimum wage in Australia has recently risen to approximately $21 an hour (that’s just under $15 USD). My husband, on a disability support pension, will receive a maximum of $990 a fortnight ($495 a week; approx $12 an hour). That’s if he is single, it’s less because he’s not ($880 a fortnight). That’s about $340 a week and $8 an hour USD. From what I understand, that’s higher than the US minimum wage, but still absolutely disgusting.
My anger resides in the question, why do people on disability pensions not deserve, at the bare minimum, minimum wage?
Before you hit me up with ‘because they don’t work, they should be grateful for anything’ or ‘they are lazy’ or ‘they should just work from home’ – I will respond with, absolutely not. My husband had to jump through an incredible amount of hoops to receive disability – he had to let go of his career dreams. Additionally, my husband cannot physically work – he has a chronic pain condition called complex regional pain syndrome (aka the suicide disease) – he cannot keep consistent hours and suffers tremendously every day. He tries his best to keep up with domestic duties, but even that can become too much (I say that in a way not to undermine domestic workers, but that even a visit to the grocery story can exacerbate his pain). What price do you put on human suffering, because maybe it’s not enough?
When I graduate uni, I will earn about $75 000 (approx $52 000), bringing us to a total of approx $100 000 (approximately $69 000 USD). I am grateful that I will be earning that sort of wage. I am so fucking grateful that I will be earning that amount because, if he was on his own, he would be royally fucked.
Our governments spread the values of family, prosperity, and freedom (plus those other values). What hope does my family have to prosper, when my husband – such a vulnerable member of society – is pushed into poverty for reasons outside of his control?
As I understand, this sub fights for fair work, fair pay, and for individuals to know their worth. From my perspective , this 100% includes people unable to work due to disability