Federal Contractor Pay for Workers With Disabilities
Some workers with disabilities performing on covered federal contracts have a separate minimum-wage floor. Learn the limits, records, and current federal framework.
When a Federal Contract Can Change the Pay Floor
A worker with a disability may have a different federal pay floor when performing work on or in connection with a covered federal contract. The Department of Labor explains that Executive Order 13658 can require its applicable contractor minimum wage even when a worker's wages are otherwise calculated under a Fair Labor Standards Act Section 14(c) certificate. That is a narrow contract-specific rule, not a general answer for every private employer or every worker with a disability.
A Certificate Does Not Answer the Contract Question
Section 14(c) permits the Labor Department to issue certificates that may allow commensurate wages for eligible workers whose earning or productive capacity is impaired by a disability. For a worker performing on or in connection with a covered Executive Order 13658 contract, the Department says the applicable Executive Order minimum wage can still control. The employer's certificate, the actual work, the contract date and terms, and any higher wage determination all matter.
Executive Order 14026 Is Not the Current Rule
Older federal-contractor materials often refer to Executive Order 14026 and its $15 contractor minimum wage. The Department of Labor states that Executive Order 14026 was revoked on March 14, 2025 and that it is no longer enforcing that order or its implementing rule. Do not assume a pre-2025 rate or a webpage about the revoked order establishes what an employer owes today.
How the Remaining Federal-Contract Framework Is Limited
Executive Order 13658 generally concerns specified federal contracts awarded on or after January 1, 2015. The Department publishes an annual rate for covered work, but another federal, state, local, contract, or wage-determination rule may require a higher amount. A job with a federal customer is not automatically covered, and not every hour worked for a contractor is necessarily work on or in connection with a covered contract.
Check the Job, Contract, and Pay Records Together
Useful records can include offer letters, job descriptions, work assignments, schedules, pay stubs, time records, the contractor's name, project or task descriptions, notices about wage rates, and any Section 14(c) certificate information lawfully available to the worker. Keep a dated list of which tasks were performed for which customer or project. Do not take confidential contract materials or records you are not permitted to keep.
Wage, Disability, and Retaliation Routes Can Differ
A pay concern on a government contract may involve Wage and Hour Division enforcement, while disability discrimination, an accommodation request, or retaliation may involve separate laws and deadlines. A low rate alone does not establish discrimination, and a discrimination concern does not itself establish contract coverage. Preserve the stated reason for any pay change, complaint, discipline, or lost assignment and evaluate each possible route separately.
When to Get a Free Consult
Get a free consult if you performed work connected to a federal contract, were paid under a disability-related wage certificate, and believe the contract wage floor or another wage rule was missed. Bring the pay records, employer and project information, dates, and any written wage notice. This article is general information, not legal advice; coverage, contract terms, work performed, wage determinations, and deadlines can change the analysis.
Primary Sources
- DOL: Executive Order 13658 Annual Minimum-Wage UpdateAccessed October 6, 2026
- DOL: Employment of Workers With DisabilitiesAccessed October 6, 2026
- DOL Fact Sheet #83A: Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors Under Executive Order 13658Accessed October 6, 2026
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