The downshift in the September job numbers sparks concerns about employment prospects for Americans with and without disabilities, according to the most recent National Trends in Disability Employment – Monthly Update (nTIDE), issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD).
The declines in the economic indicators reflect the impact of the COVID pandemic on the ability of workers to stay engaged in the labor market.
nTIDE COVID Update
The recently released Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report indicates that the employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities decreased from 28.8% in August to 28.3% in September (down 1.7% or 0.5 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio increased from 69.7% in August to 70% in September (up 0.4% or 0.3 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), a media release from Kessler Foundation explains.
“August’s modest gains in the employment-to-population ratio for people with and without disabilities have been lost due to the continued effects of COVID-19. And for next month’s nTIDE report, we are likely to see these declines continue as more workers move from furlough to termination.”
— John O’Neill, PhD, director of employment and disability research at Kessler Foundation
The labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities decreased from 33.6% in August to 32.7% in September 2020 (down 2.7% or 0.9 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also decreased from 76.1% in August to 75.7% in September 2020 (down 0.5% or 0.4 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 rate is a bell-weather of the long-term employment prospects of people with disabilities.
“September’s decline in this indicator suggests that people with disabilities are leaving the labor market—they are no longer on furlough or actively looking for work. As the pandemic continues and more workers are permanently let go, we are likely to see further declines in the labor force participation rate.”
— economist Andrew Houtenville, PhD, research director of the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability
Traditional nTIDE Numbers
The employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities decreased from 31.4% in September 2019 to 28.3% in September 2020 (down 9.9% or 3.1 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also decreased from 74.9% in September 2019 to 70% in September 2020 (down 6.5% or 4.9 percentage points).
The labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities decreased from 33.7% in September 2019 to 32.7% in September 2020 (down 3% or 1 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also decreased from 77.4% in September 2019 to 75.7% in September 2020 (down 2.2% or 1.7 percentage points).
For reference, in September 2020, among workers ages 16-64, the 4,208,000 workers with disabilities represented 3.1% of the total 137,815,000 workers in the US, the release continues.
Beyond the Numbers
In 2020, marks 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed and 75 years of celebrating October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In commemoration, Kessler Foundation released the results of reportedly the first national survey of college graduates with disabilities who came of age since the passage of the ADA – the 2020 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey: Recent College Graduates.
The Survey, which was commissioned by Kessler Foundation and implemented by the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD), suggests that recent college graduates with disabilities were as likely to be employed as their peers without disabilities, with 90% of each group holding jobs after college.
“This Survey clearly suggests that higher education pays off for people with disabilities.
“Clearly, there is room to build on the gains achieved since the ADA,” she concluded, “and improve the educational experiences and employment outcomes of people with disabilities.”
— Kimberly Phillips, PhD, research assistant professor at UNH-IOD and project director for the Survey
[Source(s): Kessler Foundation, PRWeb]
Related Content:
August 2020 nTIDE Indicates Improving Job Numbers
July nTIDE Raises Red Flags for Workers with Disabilities
June 2020 nTIDE – Reopenings Help Improve Job Numbers
