School-Based Vocational Programs and Labor Laws: A 1990 Update

Abstract

This article describes how the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) administered through the United States Department of Labor (DOL) governs school-based employment and vocational training programs. Particular attention is paid to the regulations regarding employment and training for students with disabilities. Because the FLSA was recently reauthorized with final regulations published in late 1989, this paper updates the Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps publication by Martin and Husch (1987) on the same topic. It further explains and interprets situations that are often misunderstood by educators and employment specialists through a series of case studies typical of school-based vocational programs for students with severe handicaps. Finally, suggestions for reform in federal and state policy as a result of counterproductive provisions of the FLSA are presented.