Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act

Glenn Grothman

Republican · WI · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Ann Wagner (R-MO-2)Original· 2026-05-12
• Burgess Owens (R-UT-4)Original· 2026-05-12
• Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-5)· 2026-05-13
• Bryan Steil (R-WI-1)· 2026-05-19
• Jack Bergman (R-MI-1)· 2026-06-02

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.

2026-05-21

Source: Congress.gov

Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act This bill relaxes requirements that allow entities with a special wage certificate to pay subminimum wages to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the bill eliminates a requirement that an individual with a disability who is age 24 or younger receive pre-employment transition services and meet specified vocational rehabilitation criteria before beginning subminimum wage work. The bill also relaxes career counseling and service referral requirements that apply to an individual with a disability who is paid at a subminimum wage. Current law requires an entity to ensure that an individual employed at subminimum wage receives periodic career counseling, information, and referrals to other services from the designated state agency. Under the bill, this requirement is met if the employer makes a documented effort to contact the state agency for those resources on behalf of the employee, and the state agency subsequently fails to provide the counseling, information, and referrals.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8736 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8736 To amend the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure workplace choice and opportunity for young adults with disabilities. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 12, 2026 Mr. Grothman (for himself, Mrs. Wagner, and Mr. Owens) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure workplace choice and opportunity for young adults with disabilities. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act''. SEC. 2. USE OF SUBMINIMUM WAGE. Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794g) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)-- (i) by striking ``No'' and inserting ``Any''; (ii) by striking ``24 or younger'' and inserting ``18 or older''; and (iii) by striking ``unless'' and inserting ``if''; and (B) by inserting at the end the following new paragraph: ``(3) The individual chooses to accept employment with such entity.''; (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``24'' and inserting ``17''; (3) in subsection (c), by inserting at the end the following new paragraph: ``(4) Other exceptions.--The entity described in subsection (a) can satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1)(A) with respect to an individual, if-- ``(A) such entity makes documented efforts, at the intervals described in paragraph (2), to contact on behalf of the individual, the designated State unit for the counseling, information, and referrals described in paragraph (1)(A); and ``(B) such designated State unit fails to provide such counseling, information, and referrals after such documented efforts.''; and (4) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting before the period at the end the following: ``and, if such individual is employed by an entity described in subsection (a) at the time such documentation is made pursuant to such process, to make available copies of such documentation to the entity''. SEC. 3. APPLICATION. The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to the employment of an individual on or after the date of enactment of this Act. <all>

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