Research on Disability Employment TRENDS: April 2017 Report

Kessler Foundation & University of New Hampshire release nTIDE Report – Monthly Update

DURHAM, NH –Job gains continued for Americans with disabilities at a more modest rate, according to today’s National Trends in Disability Employment – Monthly Update (nTIDE), issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD). This encouraging trend has extended to 13 months. Transitioning to civilian employment remains a challenge for many veterans, especially veterans with disabilities. Community-based organizations are succeeding in partnering with businesses to help veterans find competitive jobs.

In the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report released Friday, May 5, the employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 27.9 percent in April 2016 to 28.2 percent in April 2017 (up 1.1 percent; 0.3 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also increased from 72.6 percent in April 2016 to 73.6 percent in April 2017 (up 1.4 percent; 1 percentage point). The employment-to-population ratio, a key indicator, reflects the percentage of people who are working relative to the total population (the number of people working divided by the number of people in the total population multiplied by 100).

“The improvement in the proportion of people with disabilities working continues its upward trend for the 13th consecutive month, although the magnitude of the gains is not as great as we have seen recently,” according to John O’Neill, PhD, director of employment and disability research at Kessler Foundation. “This employment growth remains encouraging and shows people with disabilities are striving to work as they move toward pre-Great Recession employment levels,” he added.

The labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities increased from 31.6 percent in April 2016 to 32.0 percent in April 2017 (up 1.3 percent; 0.4 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also increased from 76.1 percent in April 2016 to 76.6 percent in April 2017 (up 0.7 percent; 0.5 percentage points). The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work.

Read Full April Report>>