A woman repackages plastic sprayers at a sheltered workshop for adults with disabilities. (Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS)

Two separate bills introduced in the U.S. Congress would end the practice of paying employees with disabilities a wage lower than the federal minimum wage. This is allowed under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which enables companies to apply for a certificate to create a “sheltered workshop,” where individuals with disabilities often perform simplistic tasks. Opponents of the bills argue that sheltered workshops provide individuals with severe disabilities the only chance to find employment.