Employment Research on Disability TRENDS: October 2017 'nTIDE' Report

Kessler Foundation & University of New Hampshire release nTIDE Report 

Durham, NH – The major economic indicators continue to reflect increasing inclusion of Americans with disabilities in the workforce, 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). Results from a new national survey show that many employers have implemented practices and processes for recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining people with disabilities. The 2017 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey: Supervisor Perspectives underscores where success is being achieved and reveals opportunities for maximizing inclusion in the workplace.

In the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report released Friday, November 3, the employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 27.9 percent in October 2016 to 30.5 percent in October 2017 (up 9.3 percent; 2.6 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also increased from 73.1 percent in October 2016 to 73.7 percent in October 2017 (up 0.8 percent; 0.6 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 19th consecutive month, the proportion of people with disabilities working has continued to grow, and once again, their gains are outpacing those of 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 individuals with disabilities are striving to work and that the processes and practices employers are using to recruit and hire people with disabilities appear to be paying off,” he added.

The labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities increased from 31.3 percent in October 2016 to 33.3 percent in October 2017 (up 6.4 percent; 2 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also increased from 76.5 percent in October 2016 to 76.6 percent in October 2017 (up 0.1 percent; 0.1 percentage points). The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work.

Read the full October nTIDE Report

Registration Open! 2017 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium February 13, 2018 National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC Join us in person or online for a roll-out of the newest data and statistics contained in the 2017 Disability Statistics Compendium. There will also be a panel discussion on trends and data usage. Register Online Today News & Publications National Survey Provides New Directions for Expanding Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Resources Research on Disability: Learn about several new Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) on Disability. Annual Disability Statistics Compendium: Web-based tool that pools disability statistics published by various federal agencies together in one place.  Institute on Disability: Promotes full access, equal opportunities, and participation for all persons by strengthening communities and advancing policy and systems change, promising practices, education, and research. Trends in Disability Employment - National Update is funded, in part, by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) under grant number 90RT5022-02-01,and Kessler Foundation. Source: Institute on Disability