, ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁the ▁Fair ▁Labor ▁Stand ards ▁Act ▁was ▁am ended ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Labor ▁to ▁provide ▁special ▁certific ates ▁to ▁allow ▁an ▁employ er ▁to ▁pay ▁less ▁than ▁the ▁minimum ▁w age ▁to ▁individuals ▁whose ▁ear ning ▁or ▁product ive ▁capacity ▁is ▁imp a ired ▁by ▁age , ▁physical ▁or ▁mental ▁def ic iency , ▁or ▁injury . ▁These ▁employees ▁must ▁still ▁be ▁paid ▁w ages ▁that ▁are ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁individual ' s ▁product ivity ▁and ▁comm ens ur ate ▁with ▁those ▁paid ▁to ▁similarly ▁located ▁and ▁employed ▁non hand ic apped ▁workers . ▁However , ▁pay ing ▁workers ▁with ▁dis abilities ▁less ▁than ▁the ▁minimum ▁w age ▁was ▁out la wed ▁in ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁in ▁Maryland ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁and ▁in ▁Al aska ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Mid life ▁workers , ▁on ▁average , ▁make ▁more ▁than ▁younger ▁workers ▁do , ▁which ▁reflect s ▁educational ▁achiev ement ▁and ▁experience ▁of ▁various ▁kinds ▁( job - specific , ▁industry - specific , ▁etc .). ▁The ▁age - w age ▁peak ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁according ▁to ▁Census ▁data , ▁is ▁between ▁ 4 5 ▁and ▁ 5 4 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁Senior ity ▁in ▁general ▁acc ords ▁with ▁respect ▁as ▁people ▁age , ▁less ening ▁age ism . ▁Statist ical ▁disc rim ination ▁refers ▁to ▁limit ing ▁the ▁employ ment ▁opportun ities ▁of