May 2007 Disability Jobs Report: Longest Stretch of Job Gains Continues for Americans with Disabilities

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

DURHAM, NH – Job gains continued for Americans with disabilities in May, extending the trend to 14 consecutive months, 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 constitutes the longest stretch of recorded gains for this population. Fostering a culture of inclusion in the workplace requires large-scale efforts on the national level. Since 2012, the Workplace Initiative, a collaboration of more than 250 nonprofits, government agencies and companies, has provided expert guidance to help employers recognize the talents of jobseekers with disabilities and the benefits of a workplace that is truly inclusive.

In the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report released Friday, June 2, the employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 28.3 percent in May 2016 to 29.2 percent in May 2017 (up 3.2 percent; 0.9 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also increased from 72.9 percent in May 2016 to 73.6 percent in May 2017 (up 1.0 percent; 0.7 percentage points). 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).

“For the 14th consecutive month, the proportion of working people with disabilities has continued to grow, and once again the improvements in their economic indicators outpace those seen for people without disabilities,” according to John O’Neill, PhD, director of employment and disability research at Kessler Foundation. “The duration of this upward trend shows that people with disabilities are continuing to 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 May 2016 to 32.6 percent in May 2017 (up 3.2 percent; 1.0 percentage point). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also increased from 76.3 percent in May 2016 to 76.6 percent in May 2017 (up 0.4 percent; 0.3 percentage points). The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work.

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source: Kessler Foundation & University of New Hampshire press release