Economic Justice for Survivors 
with Disabilities During COVID19 
and Beyond 

Ashley Brompton and Renee Lopez 
June 16, 2020 



Objectives 

• 
Understand the economic barriers that 
survivors with disabilities face; 
• 
Understand the impact of economic 
insecurity caused by economic barriers; and 
• 
Discuss and evaluate solutions to 
overcoming those barriers to establish 
economic equity for survivors with 
disabilities. 

Survivors with Disabilities are More 
Likely to Experience Poverty and 
Economic Insecurity 



Statistics 

• 
According to the National Council on Disability: 
• 
People with disabilities make up approximately 
12% of the U.S. working-age population; however, 
they account for more than half of those living in 
long-term poverty. 
• 
Only 32% of working-age people with disabilities 
are employed compared with 73% of those without 
disabilities. 
• 
An estimated 228,600 people with 
intellectual/developmental disabilities and other 
significant disabilities work for subminimum wage. 

Statistics (2) 

• 
In one study, 60% of domestic violence 
survivors reported losing their jobs as a direct 
consequence of the abuse. 
• 
99% of domestic violence survivors have 
experienced financial abuse. 
• 
Almost 40% of African Americans with disabilities 
live in poverty, compared with 24% of Non-Hispanic 
Whites, 29% of Latinos and 19% of Asians. 
• 
Women living in poverty are nearly twice as likely to 
experience domestic violence, and people of color 
are more likely to live in poverty. 

Impact of Economic Insecurity 

• 
Physical health effects 
• 
Mental health effects 
• 
Increased 
homelessness 
• 
Food insecurity 
• 
Lack of health care 
• 
Increased risk of 
victimization 

Enforced Poverty: Barriers to 
Economic Justice for Survivors with 
Disabilities 



Barriers for Survivors with 
Disabilities 

• 
SSI/Medicaid income limits 
• 
SSI marriage penalties 
• 
Sub-minimum wage 
•Unemployment and underemployment 
•Financial abuse 
•Increased expenses 

SSI/Medicaid Income Limits 

• 
Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) is a needs-
based federal program that helps people with 
disabilities who have little or no income because of 
a disability and do not have sufficient work history 
for Social Security Disability Insurance. 
• 
It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, 
clothing, and shelter. 
• 
Eligibility for Medicaid for people with disabilities is 
connected to SSI in many states. 
• 
Can provide medical insurance, personal care 
assistance, and more. 

SSI/Medicaid Income Limits (2) 

• 
Current income limits are $783 per month for an 
individual and $1,175 per month for a couple in 
2020 
• 
What counts as income? 
• 
Asset/resource limits 
• 
Countable resources must not be worth more than 
$2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple 
• 
What counts as a resource? 

The SSI Marriage Penalty 

Single person SSI 
benefit: $783 

Married couple SSI 
benefit: $1,175 

Single person asset 
limit: $2,000 

Married couple asset 
limit: $3,000 



The SSI Marriage Penalty (2) 

• 
If two people receiving SSI get married, they will receive 
25% less in benefits than they did as two individuals. 
• 
The theory is that a couple can live on less income 
together than they would as individuals. 
• 
In addition, even if a couple doesn't get legally married, 
they can be considered to be "holding out" if they are 
presenting themselves as a couple. 
• 
Too many people with disabilities must choose between 
getting married and continuing to receive the benefits 
they need to live. 
• 
This penalty could impact a survivor with a disability 
even after leaving their partner. 

Sub-minimum Wage 

• 
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows 
employers certified by the United States 
Department of Labor (DOL) to compensate persons 
with disabilities for work at a rate less than the 
minimum wage. 
• 
Few people who work in “sheltered workshops” and 
other sub-minimum wage jobs for people with 
disabilities transition to market paying employment. 

Unemployment and 
Underemployment 

• 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Feb. 26 
an unemployment rate of 7.3% among people with 
disabilities in 2019. 
• 
Outdated and inaccurate ideas about the ability of 
people with disabilities to work lead to disparate 
hiring and retention 
• 
Domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking can 
also have a negative impact on employment. 

Financial Abuse 

• 
Most survivors experience financial abuse as part of 
the coercive power and control exercised against 
them. 
• 
Survivors with disabilities are even more at risk for 
financial abuse because they are often forced to 
trust others with their finances: 
• 
Representative payees 
• 
Guardians 

Increased Expenses 

• 
Survivors with disabilities face added costs for dayto-
day expenses, such as: 
• 
Increased transportation costs (private 
transportation, retrofitted vehicles) 
• 
Personal care attendant and direct support services 
• 
Medical supplies 
• 
Other medical and mental health costs 

Solutions for Change 



What do you think? 

After hearing about the barriers that survivors with 
disabilities face, what solutions can you think of? 

Please share in the chat. 



Engage Impacted People 

• 
Ensure that survivors with disabilities, especially 
survivors of color with disabilities, are involved in 
conversations about advocacy and reform. 
• 
Put a personal perspective on statistics and 
policies 
• 
Empower people to share their stories to the 
extent that they feel comfortable 
• 
People with lived experiences are the experts in 
policies that effect them 

Individual Advocacy 

• 
Support survivors with disabilities in connecting to 
available state and federal supports, such as: 
• 
SSDI 
• 
SSI 
• 
Medicaid 
• 
SNAP 
• 
Unemployment 
• 
Vocational rehab/job training 

Creating Attitudinal Change 

• 
Address ableism, racism, and perceptions about 
survivors of DV/SA that lead to discriminatory 
policies against them. 
• 
Education and training about intentional and 
unintentional impact of policies. 

Policy Advocacy 

• 
SSI reform 
• 
Medicaid expansion 
• 
Sub-minimum wage -14(c) reform 
• 
Supported employment and vocational rehab 
opportunities 

Questions? 



Thank you! 

Thank you for attending our End Abuse webinar. 

Please complete a brief survey sharing your feedback 
about the webinar. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YHRLXMQ 

Link to PowerPoint (PDF) and Record of Attendance: 

https://vera.egnyte.com/fl/9BLetE4PUk