2019 Persons with a Disability: Barriers to Employment, Types of Assistance, and Other Labor-Related Issues — 2020-05-01

In July 2019, almost half of all persons with a disability who were not working reported some type of barrier to employment, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A person's own disability, lack of education or training, lack of transportation, and the need for special features at the job were among the barriers reported. Among persons with a disability who were employed, over half experienced some difficulty completing their work duties because of their disability. This information was obtained from a supplement to the July 2019 Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey of about 60,000 households that provides statistics on employment and unemployment in the United States. The July 2019 supplement, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Chief Evaluation Office, collected information about barriers to employment, prior work experience, career and financial assistance, requested changes to the workplace, and related topics for persons with a disability.