Sheetz expands program to hire workers with disabilities

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Brief description of the dive:

• Sheetz is the first employer in Pennsylvania to commit to the new government funded program According to a recent statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, its goal is to help people with disabilities who earn below minimum wage transition to competitive integrated employment (CIE).
• The program will help people “earn competitive wages through an economically sustainable career path,” according to the announcement.
• Sheetz has committed to hiring up to 10 people with disabilities each year and supporting them through job counselors funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. According to the announcement, it will “support employees in the field, create a livable environment and prepare employees for long-term success.”

Dive Information:

Paying people with disabilities below the minimum wage is legal in the United States, although several states are phasing out the practice, according to the statement.

Pennsylvania’s latest program aims to help workers with disabilities achieve CIE, or compensation at or above the minimum wage, comparable to the regular rate paid to non-disabled workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Integrated Professional Engagement and Support Team program uses a $14 million federal grant, according to the announcement. KenCrest, a company providing intellectual and developmental disabilities services to adults, youth and children, will support employers based in eastern Pennsylvania, including Sheetz, in the program.

“By using this $14 million federal grant, we are eliminating the barriers faced by those who work below minimum wage and giving them the opportunity to build successful careers with dignity and respect,” said Nancy A. Walker, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. in the ad.

This isn’t the first time Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz, which operates more than 740 convenience stores in six states, has taken over measures to assist employees with disabilities.

In 2019, retailer c-store launched the Store Team Helper program, which gives people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to find meaningful work within the company. As of last fall, the program had helped 20 people find jobs at Sheetz stores in Blair and York counties in Pennsylvania, the company said at the time.