Employment

Disability Employment in the United States

a lady with down syndrom wearing brown bigs in an hardware

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990, prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities when it comes to education, government services, transportation, public areas and services, accommodations, housing, and employment. When it comes to employment issues, along with Equal Opportunity Commission rules, the ADA makes sure civil rights and equal opportunity protections exist for individuals with disabilities in the workplace, including hiring, pay, and accommodations. The ADA is broken down into five sections, called “titles,” that pertain to different areas of life.

Disability discrimination occurs when an “employer or other entity” listed in Title I of the ADA, and also in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, treats an employee or applicant unfairly due to their disability.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, a current study shows a labor participation rate of 25% for individuals with disabilities in the U.S. compared to 67.9% for Americans without disabilities. Nationwide unemployment rates show a similar gap: 8.7% for individuals with disabilities and 4% for those without disabilities. 2024 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that workers with a disability were nearly twice as likely to work part-time as workers with no disability, and that workers with disabilities were more likely to be self-employed than workers without disabilities.

Disability Employment is Good for Business

Workers with disabilities bring their skills, talents, and work ethic to America’s labor force every day. As employers continue to tap into this pool of talent, the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities continue to strengthen our workforce and communities.

The business world has known for a long time that workers with disabilities show higher rates of job retention and job satisfaction. Some other benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities include:

  • A large population - The World Health Organization reports that roughly 16% of the earth’s population (approximately 1 billion people) has at least one disability. Although often underrepresented in many job fields, this is an extraordinary amount of skill and talent.
  • Financial incentives - Both federal and state governments offer tax breaks, wage subsidies, training grants, and incentives for workplace modifications to businesses who hire workers with disabilities.
  • Improve morale and culture - Hiring people with disabilities promotes an inclusive work environment. A study conducted by business researchers and consultants Deloitte found that employees who felt included and thought their company valued diversity were 80% more likely to say they worked for a high-performing organization. In addition, hiring people with disabilities communicates social responsibility, showing that the company is interested in being a good community partner.
  • Compliance with federal contractor requirements - Regulations under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require that covered federal contractors and subcontractors take proactive steps to recruit and retain workers with disabilities. Being disability-inclusive will help businesses that currently work with the government, or who want to do business with the government in the future, meet regulatory requirements.