The report shows that the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities rose from 38.0 percent in June to 38.3 percent in July. This measure represents the proportion of the entire working-age population that is employed, including both people who are in the labor force and those who are not seeking work. The increase amounted to 0.3 percentage points, or approximately 0.8 percent relative to the June figure. Among people without disabilities, the ratio also edged upward, moving from 74.8 percent to 75.0 percent.

The more significant shift appeared in labor force participation. For people with disabilities, the rate climbed from 41.8 percent in June to 42.4 percent in July, an increase of 0.6 percentage points. The labor force participation rate includes people who are employed, actively seeking work, or temporarily absent from a job because of a layoff or furlough. By contrast, participation among people without disabilities held steady at 78.2 percent in both months. The contrasting results suggest that more people with disabilities were available for work or actively searching for jobs, even though the increase in employment itself was comparatively modest.

John O’Neill, director of Kessler Foundation’s Center for Employment and Disability Research, said the improved employment-to-population ratios may partly reflect seasonal hiring. Summer typically brings increased demand for workers in hospitality, tourism, food service, recreation, and related industries. These sectors can generate short-term employment opportunities, although the extent to which such jobs provide stable hours, benefits, or long-term advancement varies widely. Seasonal patterns are therefore an important factor when interpreting a single month of employment data.

Andrew Houtenville, professor of economics and director of the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, pointed to economic pressure as another possible explanation for the increased participation of people with disabilities. Rising prices can encourage people to seek employment or increase their working hours, particularly when household income is already constrained. People with disabilities experience poverty at higher rates than people without disabilities, making changes in food, housing, transportation, health care, and energy costs especially consequential. When participation rises more rapidly than the employment-to-population ratio, economists infer that additional people are entering the labor market without all of them immediately finding jobs.

The year-to-year comparison presents a stronger improvement for people with disabilities. From July 2025 to July 2026, their employment-to-population ratio increased from 37.0 percent to 38.3 percent, a gain of 1.3 percentage points, or 3.5 percent. Over the same period, the ratio for people without disabilities declined slightly from 75.1 percent to 75.0 percent. Although the change for people without disabilities was small, the widening difference highlights the persistent employment gap between the two groups: people with disabilities remained far less likely to be employed relative to their total working-age population.

Annual labor force participation figures showed a similar divergence. For people with disabilities, participation rose from 41.6 percent in July 2025 to 42.4 percent in July 2026, an increase of 0.8 percentage points, or 1.9 percent. Among people without disabilities, participation fell from 78.5 percent to 78.2 percent, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points. These statistics do not measure unemployment directly, but they help distinguish between people who are outside the labor force and those who are working or making an active effort to find employment.

In July, approximately 6.69 million employed people with disabilities accounted for 4.4 percent of the nation’s 151.261 million workers ages 16 to 64. The figure underscores both the scale of disability employment and the continuing underrepresentation of people with disabilities in the workforce. Employment outcomes are shaped by accessibility, transportation, workplace flexibility, health conditions, discrimination, education, job training, and the availability of assistive technologies. A change in monthly statistics can therefore reflect not only economic demand, but also whether employers and communities are reducing barriers that prevent qualified people from obtaining and keeping jobs.

The July nTIDE findings were discussed during a live Lunch and Learn webinar hosted by the report’s research team. Guest presenters Jeff Friedman and Javier Robles of Rutgers University joined O’Neill, Houtenville, and Lillie Heigl, director of policy at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. The monthly nTIDE project adapts national labor statistics to focus specifically on working-age adults with and without disabilities, providing a recurring measure of how economic conditions affect disability employment. The initiative is supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research and Kessler Foundation, and its latest figures indicate that labor market engagement among people with disabilities is rising, even as substantial disparities remain.

Subject of Research: Employment and labor force participation trends among working-age people with and without disabilities in the United States.

Article Title: Labor Force Participation Rises for People with Disabilities as Summer Employment Lifts July Figures

News Publication Date: August 7, 2026

Web References: Kessler Foundation: https://kesslerfoundation.org/ ; University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability: https://www.researchondisability.org/ ; nTIDE archives: http://www.researchondisability.org/nTIDE ; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics July 2026 Jobs Report: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

References: July 2026 National Trends in Disability Employment report issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.

Image Credits: Kessler Foundation

Keywords: disability employment, labor force participation, employment-to-population ratio, nTIDE, Kessler Foundation, University of New Hampshire, Bureau of Labor Statistics, workforce trends, accessible employment, labor market data

Comparing the labor market indicators from July to August 2025, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities demonstrated a meaningful increase, rising from 37.0% to 38.5%. This change, representing a relative increase of approximately 4.1%, marks the highest recorded level to date and indicates a positive turn for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce. In stark contrast, the same ratio for people without disabilities declined marginally from 75.1% to 74.5%. The employment-to-population ratio, a critical economic indicator, quantifies the proportion of a specified demographic that is employed relative to its total population size, offering insights into both labor demand and engagement.

Labor force participation—a measure broader than employment alone as it includes those actively seeking work—also shifted in ways that illuminate underlying labor market dynamics. Among people with disabilities, participation increased modestly from 41.6% in July to 42.2% in August 2025, reflecting a renewed willingness or necessity for seeking employment. Conversely, this rate declined for those without disabilities, moving from 78.5% to 77.9%. Such trends may reflect complex economic and social factors, including changing individual incentives, labor market conditions, and policy impacts affecting these populations differently.

These month-over-month gains for people with disabilities have pushed key labor market indicators to all-time highs. The employment-to-population ratio for this demographic narrowly surpassed its prior peak of 38.3% seen in November 2023, May 2024, and January 2025. Elaine E. Katz, Senior Vice President of Grants at Kessler Foundation, underscores the significance of this milestone: “We are witnessing a meaningful increase in the presence of people with disabilities in paid employment. This reflects two convergent trends: newly employed individuals entering the workforce and previously discouraged workers deciding to re-engage.”

Likewise, the labor force participation rate of 42.2% in August 2025 is unprecedented, exceeding the previous heyday recorded in January 2025. Andrew Houtenville, PhD, director at UNH-IOD, contextualizes these trends by noting that the observed metrics suggest a plateauing effect—labor market indicators have ascended steadily following substantial post-COVID economic recovery growth since mid-2023 but are now stabilizing at elevated levels. Dr. Houtenville also issues a cautionary note regarding the broader implications: “Increased labor force participation may reflect economic pressures pushing more people with disabilities into the labor market, responding to inflationary pressures and losses in household income, especially given persistent poverty within this population.”

Examining annual changes between August 2024 and August 2025, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities rose from 36.4% to 38.5%, solidifying the trend with a 5.8% relative increase. In contrast, the ratio for people without disabilities slightly declined from 74.8% to 74.5%. Labor force participation for people with disabilities similarly advanced from 40.0% to 42.2%, a 5.5% relative rise, while the corresponding figure for people without disabilities decreased modestly from 78.2% to 77.9%. These year-over-year changes emphasize the robustness of employment gains among people with disabilities against marginal declines experienced by others.

Population-level labor statistics for August 2025 indicate that among approximately 151.8 million employed individuals aged 16 to 64 nationwide, about 6,653,000 reported disabilities, representing 4.4% of the workforce. This segment’s growth in employment and participation rates holds profound implications for both economic policy and social equity. It suggests that barriers to employment for people with disabilities may be eroding gradually, yet challenges persist that require sustained attention.

The release of nTIDE data is traditionally accompanied by an interactive Lunch & Learn webinar, designed to facilitate dialogue around disability employment statistics. Scheduled for September 5, 2025, this live session allows participants to engage directly with researchers and policy experts, including guest speakers from the disability services sector. This forum serves a critical role in disseminating findings, contextualizing data trends, and fostering collaborative approaches to workforce inclusivity.

nTIDE’s methodology involves a careful synthesis of monthly BLS employment reports, adjusted and segmented by UNH-IOD to focus expressly on working-age adults with disabilities. This granular approach allows for specific labor market insights that might be obscured in broader statistical releases. By providing timely and nuanced employment data, nTIDE supports researchers, policymakers, and advocates in identifying emerging trends and opportunities relevant to disability inclusion.

The broader mission of Kessler Foundation and the Institute on Disability underpins the nTIDE effort, representing a convergence of research excellence and applied social impact. These institutions continue to pioneer rehabilitation science and workforce integration initiatives that promote independence and improve quality of life for people with disabilities. Their rigorous and transparent approach to data collection and reporting ensures that nTIDE remains a foundational resource in shaping disability employment policy.

As economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures persist nationally, understanding the labor market behavior of people with disabilities gains increased urgency. The current gains in employment and participation, while encouraging, necessitate ongoing monitoring to discern whether they represent stable integration or are temporary responses to economic flux. Strengthening policies that support accessibility, anti-discrimination, and skill development remain essential to sustaining and accelerating these positive trends.

In summation, the latest nTIDE report provides compelling evidence that, despite a challenging general labor market environment, people with disabilities have achieved incremental yet meaningful advances in employment and labor force engagement. These shifts carry significant implications for inclusion, economic independence, and social equity. Continued attention to the mechanisms enabling these improvements will be critical as the United States charts its recovery and growth trajectory in the years ahead.

Subject of Research: Employment trends and labor market participation among people with disabilities in the United States.

Article Title: National Trends in Disability Employment Reach New Heights Amid Shifting Labor Market Dynamics

News Publication Date: September 5, 2025

Web References:

• Kessler Foundation: https://kesslerfoundation.org/
• University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability: http://www.researchondisability.org/
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Jobs Report: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
• nTIDE Reports and Archives: http://www.ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE

Image Credits: Kessler Foundation

Keywords: Social sciences, Demography, Unemployment, Disability employment, Labor force participation, Employment-to-population ratio