It is illegal to discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in employment. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities. For more details on Title I of the ADA, read our Knowing Your Rights Fact Sheet and Employer Responsibilities.
Labor Force Participation Rates
As of 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that people with disabilities made up 4% of the employed population, despite being 13% of the total population. (This number includes the civilian population age 16 and over who is not in an institution.) Only 22.5% of people with disabilities were employed, compared to 65.8% of people without disabilities. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 7.2%, more than double the 3.5% rate for those without disabilities, highlighting a significant employment gap. (These numbers included people who looked for work in the four weeks leading up to the end of the research survey. Refer to this technical note on labor force characteristics for more information.)
Key points from the 2023 data:
- People with disabilities had lower participation rates in the workforce, regardless of age.
- Unemployment rates were higher for people with disabilities across all education levels.
- People with disabilities were twice as likely to work part-time and more likely to be self-employed than those without disabilities.
Reasonable Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations are one way to address the different employment rates.
There is a misconception among employers that accommodations are costly. This is not true. A study by the Job Accommodation Network (PDF) found that 46% of accommodations cost nothing, and those that did had a median cost of only $500.
When employers provide accommodations, they find the benefits outweigh any potential costs:
- Higher employee retention
- Improved productivity and morale
- Lower costs for workers’ compensation and training
- Increased company diversity
To support an inclusive workplace, we have created the following resources:
- The Inclusive Workplace: Employer Guide to Reasonable Accommodations Using Assistive Technologies (PDF)
- ADA Title I: Disclosure & Reasonable Accommodations (PDF)
For more resources, visit our Employment Resources.