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Sunday, July 21, 2019

Goodwill head who makes $164,000 fired disabled workers after minimum wage hike

An Illinois branch of Goodwill faced a barrage of criticism after announcing plans to fire disabled workers and blaming it on the state's rising minimum wage.

Sharon Durbin, president and CEO of Lincoln Goodwill, a Springfield-based organization that runs 15 thrift stores in the state, drew fire from state officials after she told workers employed under a vocational program for people with disabilities that they were losing their jobs. She cited the planned pay hike, which is slated to climb to $15 in 2025, as the reason for the layoffs. As a nonprofit, her organization doesn't pay taxes, collects state funding and has been awarded state contracts. Under federal rules, it also may pay disabled workers significantly less than the minimum wage.

But Durbin was forced to quickly backtrack after a public outcry, with Illinois Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell tweeting that Goodwill "ought to be ashamed."

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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

sharon durbin should be fired

Anonymous said...

it may be a non profit but it's still a business. to pay someone $15/hr for a charity job will quickly bankrupt any business. This will happen here on the shore as well. Small businesses can't afford to pay a busboy or a dishwasher $15/hr. that is a wage some people get college degrees to attain.

Anonymous said...

I donate to Salvation Army. Goodwill is a business that profits millions - not Salvation Army.

Anonymous said...

Equal treatment. Disabled people get fired just like everyone else.

wrench said...

This is why I don't deal with goodwill !!!
Send your business to the Salvation Army !!!
They don't have so called CEO'S racking in million dollar salaries while claiming to be " non profit "

Anonymous said...


Durbin as a prominent name in Illinois?? And her son is on payroll for 95K?

Any relation to IL Sen. Dickless Durbin (D)?

Asking for a friend.

Anonymous said...

No non profit bigwigs are going to sacrifice their huge salaries and benefits packages for workers LOL,

Anonymous said...

@311, how you are obtuse enough to make that statement while ignoring the fact she makes 164k a year is amusing.

Anonymous said...

3:11 Any business that can pay a district manager $164,000 is not a small business.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes they due wrench

Anonymous said...

Corporate greed is destroying America one family at a time

Anonymous said...

Goodwill is not a small business. They make 3.5 billion a year off products they pay NOTHING for and put on the shelves for barely less than original cost. I saw a pair of shoes there for $10 used and the same pair new at the mall was $9.99. Does that sound right to you?

Anonymous said...

No, look again. Salvation army executives make peanuts compared to Goodwill hammer

Anonymous said...

2:33 Compensation including bonuses for the "average" salvation army executive amounts to $113 per hour. Now you look it up on google and do the math

Anonymous said...

12:23
I looked it up on google. William Roberts is the national commander of the Salvation army. Not sure how old this is but it says he makes about $127k a year total compensation. Gail McGovern who is the CEO of the red cross has a total compensation of $1,037,000 in 2010.

Anonymous said...

"At the salvation army, the most compensated worker receives $450,000 annually" keep giving to salvation army kettles

Anonymous said...

Look it up on Fact or Fiction