National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) – Issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire
East Hanover, NJ – January 6, 2023 – Persistent efforts to cool the economy had no effect on jobseekers with disabilities, who continued to find jobs in December, 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). Job numbers were flat for people without disabilities, however, which may be a sign that they are being disproportionately affected by measures aimed at controlling inflation.
Month-to-Month nTIDE Numbers (comparing November 2022 to December 2022)
Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report released today, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) increased from 36.5 percent in November to 37.0 percent in December (up 1.4 percent or 0.5 percentage points). In contrast, for people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the employment-to-population ratio was unchanged at 74.4 percent. 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).
“The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities continues to surge, extending the gains of the last four months,” said John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. “This is significant considering that those without disabilities continue to underperform in the labor market.”
Findings were similar for December’s labor force participation rate. For people with disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate was increased slightly from 38.8 percent in November to 39.0 percent in December (up 0.2 percent or 0.2 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate was unchanged, at 76.9 percent.
“People with disabilities looking for jobs are finding jobs, as evidenced by the increase in the employment-to-population ratio and the stable labor force participation rate,”
remarked Andrew Houtenville, PhD, professor of economics and research director of the UNH-IOD.
Interested in why have people with disabilities have been outperforming people without disabilities? Tune in to our January 20, 2023, nTIDE Lunch & Learn webinar, when our experts will analyze 2022 trends in their nTIDE Year in Review. Register here:
Drs. Houtenville and O’Neill will reference our latest employment survey, which compares the workplaces of 2017 and 2022, revealing gains in recruiting, hiring, accommodating, and retaining employees with disabilities. Learn more: 2022 National Employment & Disability Survey: Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Supervisor Perspectives.
Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (Comparing December 2021 to December 2022)
