nTIDE November 2022 COVID Update: Big decline pushes unemployment for people with disabilities below pre-pandemic levels

National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) – issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire

East Hanover, NJ. December 20, 2022. Unemployment for people with disabilities declined markedly in November to well below pre-pandemic levels, according to today’s National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) COVID Update. While seasonal hiring may account for some of the drop, nTIDE experts find reasons to be optimistic about the overall picture for workers with disabilities.  

“This major decline brings unemployment back to where it was pre-COVID-19, which was a good spot for people with disabilities,” said Andrew Houtenville, PhD, professor of economics at the University of Hampshire (UNH) and research director of the UNH Institute on Disability. “This month’s numbers are better than the November data for 2015 to 2019, years when people with disabilities were making headway in the labor force. It looks like they may be back on track following the disruptions of the pandemic,” he added.

There are more reasons for optimism, according to nTIDE co-author John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Employment Research at Kessler Foundation. Referencing the December 2 nTIDE report, Dr. O’Neill noted the gains in the employment-to-population ratio and labor force participation rates for people with disabilities. “This tells us that unemployment has dropped because people are finding jobs,” he asserted. “It is noteworthy that this decline is occurring despite the counter pressures of the rise in the U.S. population, and consequently, in the number of jobseekers with disabilities. Let’s hope that this positive pattern extends into the new year.” 

 

graphs indicating the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic of people with and without disabilities
These graphics compare the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic of people with and without disabilities, capturing pre-pandemic and current unemployment data from< January 2020 to November 2022. Unemployment declined for both groups, with a marked decline for people with disabilities.

 

 

Plans for Deeper Dive in 2023

Monitoring the National Trends in Disability Employment helps us track the impact of economic shifts on people with disabilities. As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wane, the impact of inflation continues to rise. In 2023, the nTIDE team plans to transition the COVID Update to a ‘deeper dive’ into the Bureau of Labor Statistics data for people with disabilities. 

ICYMI: Learn about the new survey produced by the nTIDE team, the 2022 Kessler Foundation National Employment & Disability Survey: Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Supervisor Perspectives.

About nTIDE Updates
National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) is a joint project of Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. The nTIDE team closely monitors the job numbers, issuing monthly reports that track the impact of economic shifts on employment for people with and without disabilities. The statistics in the nTIDE are based on BLS numbers but are not identical. They are customized by UNH to combine the statistics for men and women of working age (16- 64). nTIDE is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR; 90RTGE0005) and Kessler Foundation. Each nTIDE release is followed by an nTIDE Lunch & Learn online webinar. This live broadcast, hosted via Zoom Webinar, offers attendees Q&A on the latest nTIDE findings, provides news, updates from the field, and features invited panelists who discuss current disability-related findings and event.

About the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire was established in 1987 to provide a university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of persons with disabilities and their families. For information on the Institute’s NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), visit ResearchOnDisability.org.

About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, founded in 1985, is a New Jersey-based nonprofit and global leader in rehabilitation research committed to changing the lives of people with disabilities. By conducting groundbreaking research, Kessler Foundation advances recovery and fosters independence to build a more inclusive and accessible world.

Our team of award-winning scientists develop and test novel interventions to transform care and optimize mobility, cognition, and quality of life for people with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neurological and developmental disabilities. By analyzing community and workforce participation, developing evidence-based solutions, and funding impactful community initiatives that expand employment opportunities, Kessler Foundation also addresses barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.

Powered by a dedicated team of over 200 professionals funded by federal and state grants and private philanthropy, Kessler Foundation is redefining what is possible in rehabilitation care and recovery. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.

For more information, contact:
Michele Pignatello, Michele Pignatello

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