6.48 million disabled workers now in the US workforce — but economic pressure, not opportunity, is driving the surge

Zusammenfassung

The June 2026 National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report from Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability shows labor force participation among people with disabilities rising from 41.1% to 42.0% between April and May 2026 — with 6.48 million disabled workers now representing 4.3% of the total US workforce. But lead researcher Andrew Houtenville warns the trend may reflect economic necessity rather than improved access: people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to live in families below the poverty line, and participation rises may be inflation-driven. The employment-to-population ratio actually dipped slightly. For European policymakers and employers, the US data provides a reference point: even in a tight labour market, the disability employment gap persists without structural employer-side intervention.