According to statistics released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in September 2011, the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.1, up from 21.0 in August. By comparison, the percentage of persons with no disability in the labor force was 69.7, down from 69.9 in August.

Unemployment Rate at 16.1%

The unemployment rate for those with disabilities was 16.1%, compared with 8.5% for persons with no disability, not seasonally adjusted. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities was unchanged from August. The rate for persons with no disability was down from the August rate of 8.8%.

Table A-6 Provides Further Details on Employment Levels by Disability Status

Table A-6 shows further details on the employment status of the civilian population by sex, age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted.

Definition of a Person with a Disability

In compiling the data, the BLS defines a person with a disability as a person having at least one of the following conditions: is deaf or has serious difficulty hearing; is blind or has serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses; has serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition; has serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs; has difficulty dressing or bathing; or has difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Visit VisionPayroll.com Monthly for Updated Disability Employment Statistics

Each month, Vision Payroll will provide updated disability employment statistics as they become available.