An increase in remote work opportunities helped fuel a rise in labor force participation by people with disabilities, according to a new report. (Thinkstock)
The number of people with disabilities in the workforce has surged in recent years, new research shows.
A report out from SHRM, an association for human resource professionals, finds that labor force participation by people with disabilities has grown over 30% since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of July, almost a quarter of people in this population were employed or actively looking for work, according to SHRM, which called this a “historically high rate.” The professional association attributed the increased labor force participation to expanded remote and flexible work arrangements that were spurred by the pandemic.
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“The remarkable increase in workforce participation among people with disabilities is a testament to what’s possible when organizations commit to inclusion and flexibility,” said Wendi Safstrom, president of the SHRM Foundation. “By expanding access and opportunity — especially through remote and flexible work — employers can tap into a diverse talent pool that fuels growth, resilience, and innovation.”
The report notes that people with disabilities are more likely than others to work fully remote schedules.
Notably, increased interest in employment was especially pronounced among young people with disabilities. Since early 2020, labor force participation among those ages 16 to 24 rose by nearly 60%, SHRM found.
Still, workers with disabilities account for only 4.8% of the workforce as a whole and they are more prevalent in lower skill jobs such as maintenance and grounds cleaning, the findings show.
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