A new state law signed earlier this year is set to significantly impact the paychecks and lives of workers with disabilities across Northwest Georgia, marking a historic shift toward economic fairness and inclusion.

The Georgia Dignity and Pay Act, signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on May 1, 2025, formally eliminated the decades-old practice of allowing employers to pay workers with disabilities a subminimum wage. The legislation outlaws the use of special U.S. Department of Labor certificates, known as 14(c) certificates, which previously permitted employers to pay workers based on their productivity compared to a non-disabled peer, often resulting in wages of just dollars per hour.

For employers in the region who held these certificates, the first phase of the law took effect on July 1, 2025, beginning a two-year transition period that mandates full compliance with the federal minimum wage by July 1, 2027.

The law’s key provisions include a strict prohibition on new subminimum wage certificates and a phased implementation for existing holders. From July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, employers are restricted in their use of existing certificates. The following year, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, they must pay workers with disabilities at least 50% of the federal minimum wage. Full payment of the federal minimum wage is required by July 1, 2027.

The Act also removes the authority of the state’s Commissioner of Labor to grant any future exemptions from minimum wage requirements, ensuring all workers are guaranteed the same wage floor.

The move aligns Georgia with a growing national trend. Over a dozen states have already passed laws phasing out or banning subminimum wage, a practice many advocates argue is outdated and discriminatory.

The Georgia Dignity and Pay Act represents a significant step in redefining the value of work and ensuring that all workers in the Peach State, regardless of ability, are afforded the same basic economic rights and respect.