Sharp rises in the job numbers signal economic recovery for people with and without disabilities, according to the recently released National Trends in Disability Employment – Monthly Update (nTIDE), issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD).
Key indicators are closing in on pre-pandemic levels as people with disabilities strengthen their position in the labor market, Kessler Foundation notes in a media release.
nTIDE COVID Update (month-to-month comparison)
According to the recent the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report, the employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 30.4% in May to 31.5% in June 2021 (up 3.6% or 1.1 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also increased from 72.2% in May to 72.6% in June 2021 (up 0.6% or 0.4 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).
“These numbers are very close to pre-pandemic levels. In March 2020, the employment-to-population ratio was 31.7 percent. Today, we are just 0.2 percentage points away. Hopefully, this level of employment will be maintained or, even better, exceeded in the coming months and years.”
— economist Andrew Houtenville, PhD, research director of the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability
The labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities increased from 34.2% in May to 35.4% in June 2021 (up 3.5% or 1.2 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also increased from 76.3% in May to 77.2% in June 2021 (up 1.2% or 0.9 percentage points).
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working, not working and on temporary layoff, or not working and actively looking for work.
“The labor force participation of people with disabilities is now higher than it was prior to the pandemic. This has been a bright spot during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people with disabilities, perhaps out of economic necessity, remained engaged in the labor market. The last time we saw labor force participation at this level was July 2009.”
— John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation
Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (comparison to the same time last year)
The employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 28.4% in June 2020 to 31.5% in June 2021 (up 10.9% or 3.1 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also increased from 67.7% in June 2020 to 72.6% in June 2021 (up 7.2% or 4.9 percentage points).
The labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities increased from 34.4% in June 2020 to 35.4% in June 2021 (up 2.9% or 1 percentage point). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also increased from 76.2% in June 2020 to 77.2% in June 2021 (up 1.3% or 1 percentage point).
In June 2021, among workers ages 16-64, the 5,046,000 workers with disabilities represented 3.5% of the total 142,462,000 workers in the US.
Ask Questions about Disability and Employment
On July 2, Clark Rachfal, director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs at the American Council for the Blind, joins Dr. Houtenville and Denise Rozell, policy strategist at AUCD. Join live or watch the recordings at: ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE.
[Source(s): Kessler Foundation, PRWeb]
Related Content:
February 2021 nTIDE Suggests Modest Job Gains for Workers with Disabilities
January 2021 nTIDE: Recovery Stalls for People with Disabilities
December 2020 nTIDE: COVID Surge Slows Recovery for People with Disabilities
