Some disabled workers in the U.S. make pennies per hour. It's legal.

[Wonder Why]

14. I don't understand your comment. Based on what I said, both the X and the Y "worker" would get at least the

minimum wage. The employer might be paying less because neither is able to do as much as an average minimum wage worker not disabled so the government makes up the difference, paying more of the share of Y's pay than X's pay. As X gets closer to to meeting the "standard", the employer is obligated to pay an increased share of the wage. When X meets the standard, the employer should be paying X's full pay. For Y who may or may not be able to get any better, the employer should pay an increased portion of the pay if their output goes up and the government continues to pay the difference between what the employer is required to pay based on output and the minimum wage.

As to benefits provided by various government agencies where benefits are based on earning below a certain level, that level should go up based on the cost of living so if the wage rises, the recipient doesn't hit the benefit limit if their increased income doesn't exceed the increased maximum level because that level also goes up.