By most measures, the economy is strong. Gross domestic product grew by 2.1% and the S&P 500 increased by 8% during the second quarter. Labor force participation for 25- to 54-year-olds returned to pre-pandemic levels. Yet nearly 9 million jobs are unfilled, and people with disabilities remain America’s most underutilized workforce.
Nationwide, only 35% of all working age adults with disabilities are employed, in stark contrast to the 75% of those without disabilities. The numbers in Washington, D.C. are not much better, where over 60% of working age adults with disabilities do not have jobs. SourceAmerica® commissioned an employment inclusion survey of 2,000 employed Americans with and without disabilities to address that disparity and gain insight on creating greater employment inclusion for this highly capable—and available—workforce.
“The survey results highlight the need for all-around better access to employment opportunities,” said Richard Belden, president and CEO of SourceAmerica. “More needs to be done by government and private sectors to break down barriers to employment for people with disabilities.”
Key Survey Findings
1. Coordinated Action: Almost all respondents (93%) agreed that the government and private sectors should actively support employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
2. Broad Support: Nine in 10 respondents said it is important for the company they work for to value diversity and inclusion, specifically including individuals with disabilities.
3. DEIA Initiatives: 70% of respondents believe that more emphasis should be placed on people with disabilities in workplace DEIA initiatives. Additionally, 67% view these initiatives as essential for helping individuals facing barriers to employment.
4. Career Opportunities: 57% of Americans with disabilities believe their disability has limited their career opportunities.
The survey also uncovered actions the government can take to promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The highest rated measures include ensuring necessary workplace accommodations; conducting disability awareness training; collaborating with disability-focused organizations; and setting targets, quotas or goals for disability representation.
Goalsetting is important to SourceAmerica and its nationwide nonprofit network. As a central nonprofit agency within the AbilityOne® Program, SourceAmerica is committed to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities through federal contracting. AbilityOne is among the nation’s largest sources of employment for people with significant disabilities, yet only 0.55% of federal contracting is awarded to AbilityOne-authorized providers.
SourceAmerica supports Congressional efforts to implement the Office of Federal Procurement Policy’s proposed 1% AbilityOne contracting goal across the federal government and level the playing field where other procurement program goals range between 3% and 23%. We calculate that this goal could create 28,000 new employment opportunities for people with disabilities, veterans and wounded warriors.
Congressional action to implement the AbilityOne 1% procurement contracting goal would be a powerful step in creating thousands of job opportunities for an underutilized workforce.
To learn more about SourceAmerica’s efforts to create more job opportunities for people with disabilities, visit SourceAmerica.org.
