2018 Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics — 2019-02-26

In 2018, the employment-population ratio--the proportion of the population that is employed--was 19.1 percent among those with a disability, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In contrast, the employment-population ratio for those without a disability was 65.9 percent. The employment-population ratio for persons with a disability increased from 2017 to 2018, and the ratio for persons without a disability edged up. The unemployment rate for both persons with and without a disability declined from the previous year to 8.0 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively. The data on persons with a disability are collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 households that provides statistics on employment and unemployment in the United States. The collection of data on persons with a disability is sponsored by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. For more information, see the Technical Note in this news release.