National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) – Issued semi-monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire
East Hanover, NJ – October 7, 2022 – Employment numbers were positive for people with disabilities, who continued to enter the labor force in September while labor force participation remained unchanged for people without disabilities, 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). nTIDE experts also noted that the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities continued to trend above previous historic highs.
Month-to-Month nTIDE Numbers (comparing August 2022 to September 2022)
In 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 34.6 percent in August to 34.9 percent in September (up 0.9 percent or 0.3 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the employment-to-population ratio was unchanged at 74.6 percent in September (0 percent or 0 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).
increases in the employment-to-population ratio and labor force participation rate for people with disabilities,
while these indicators declined or remained unchanged for people without disabilities.
“The trend in the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities continues for the thirteenth consecutive month at levels consistently above the historic highs seen in 2008,” said John O’Neill, PhD , director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. “This is encouraging for now considering that the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates to dampen economic growth, which will most likely curtail future hiring.”
Findings were similar for September’s labor force participation rate. For people with disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate increased from 37.6 percent in August to 38.0 percent in September (up 1.1 percent or 0.4 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate decreased slightly from 77.5 percent in August to 77.1 percent in September (down 0.5 percent 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.
“As a group, people with disabilities are not partaking in the Great Resignation,” remarked Andrew Houtenville, PhD, professor of economics and the research director of the UNH-IOD. “They are entering or reentering the labor force. While this could be seen as a positive sign of a more inclusive work force, it could be signaling the need to boost household income in the face of rising prices,” explained Dr. Houtenville.
Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (Comparing September 2021 to September 2022)
The employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 32.9 percent in September 2021 to 34.9 percent in September 2022 (up 6.1 percent or 2 percentage points). For working-age people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio also increased from 73.1 percent in September 2021 to 74.6 percent in September 2022 (up 2.1 percent or 1.5 percentage points).
Similarly, for people with disabilities (16-64), the labor force participation rate increased from 36.4 percent in September 2021 to 38.0 percent in September 2022 (up 4.4 percent or 1.6 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate also increased from 76.5 percent in September 2021 to 77.1 percent in September 2022 (up 0.8 percent or 0.6 percentage points).
for people with and without disabilities.
