Washington, D.C., March 24 – While nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 708 people with disabilities in Delaware exited the workforce last year. “After strong job growth for people with disabilities the year before, this is a troubling development,” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of RespectAbility. “People with disabilities…
Washington, D.C., March 24 – Nationwide 111,804 people with disabilities got new jobs last year, including 3,067 new jobs for Mainers with disabilities. Maine now ranks 36th in the nation in terms of the state’s employment rate for people with disabilities. Overall, there are 112,442 working-age (18-64) Maine residents living with…
Washington, D.C., March 23 – While nationally 111,084 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 2,875 people with disabilities left Mississippi’s workforce last year. Mississippi now ranks 48th in the nation for employment rates of people with disabilities. Out of the 265,344 working-age (18-64) Mississippi residents living with a disclosed disability,…
Washington, D.C., March 23 –While nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 810 people with disabilities left Hawaii’s workforce last year. Said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of RespectAbility, “After strong job growth for people with disabilities in the state, this is a troubling development. People with disabilities want the income…
Washington, D.C., March 22 –Nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities; 2,473 were Arkansans with disabilities who entered the workforce last year. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows there are 285,023 working-age (ages 18-64) people with disabilities living in Arkansas. Out of that number, only 87,920 have jobs.…
Washington, D.C., March 22 –While nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 3,769 people with disabilities in Alabama exited the workforce last year. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows there are 418,429 working-age (ages 18-64) people with disabilities living in Alabama. Out of that number, only 112,030 have…
Washington, D.C., March 21 – Last year, 4,725 Ohioans with disabilities found new employment opportunities, increasing the Buckeye State’s disability employment rate. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows that 840,199 working-age (18-64) people with disabilities live in Ohio and 309,665 of them have jobs. Ohio ranks 33rd for employment rates…
Washington, D.C., March 21 – Amid a trend of nationwide job growth for people with disabilities, Utah is outperforming far bigger states like California and Texas. According a new report by the nonpartisan advocacy group RespectAbility, the Beehive State now ranks 3rd in the nation for employment of people with disabilities.…
Washington, D.C., March 21 – Nationwide 111,804 people with disabilities got new jobs last year, including 3,796 new jobs in the Lone Star State. Texas now ranks 23rd in the nation based on the employment rate of people with disabilities. Out of 1,622,962 working-age (18-64) Texans with disabilities, 647,977 have jobs.…
Washington, D.C., March 20 – 4,679 Tennesseans with disabilities entered the workforce last year, part of a national trend of jobs gained among people with disabilities. Tennessee now ranks 44th in the nation based on the employment rate for people with disabilities. Out of the 538,061 working-age (18-64) Tennessee natives with disabilities,…
Washington, D.C., March 20 – Amid a nationwide trend of job growth for people with disabilities, Rhode Island has overcome great challenges to become 19th in the nation in terms of disability employment. According to the 2018 Disability Statistics Compendium, out of 75,806 working-age (18-64) Rhode Islanders with disabilities, 30,787 have…
Washington, D.C., March 20 – While nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 904 South Dakotans with disabilities exited the workforce last year. Said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of RespectAbility, “After strong job growth for people with disabilities in the state, this is a very troubling development. People…
Washington, D.C., March 17 – Nationwide 111,804 people with disabilities got new jobs last year, including 7,921 new jobs for New Mexicans with disabilities. New Mexico now ranks 43rd in the nation in terms of the state’s employment rate for people with disabilities. Overall, there are 169,264 working-age (18-64) New Mexico natives with disabilities and out of that number, 57,005 have jobs. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows New Mexico has an employment rate of 33.7 percent for people with disabilities. Further analysis by the nonpartisan advocacy group RespectAbility shows that job gains for New Mexicans with disabilities have dramatically increased compared to the prior year.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been quick to signal her deep commitment to support the disability community in New Mexico. Among her first actions as Governor was to appoint a disability rights lawyer to lead the state’s Department of Aging and Long-Term Services. So far this year, Gov. Lujan Grisham has also pushed hard to expand “funding for services to individuals with developmental disabilities.”
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has made a special effort to celebrate this March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The Department’s goal is to promote respect for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as building awareness of the challenges faced by New Mexico’s citizens with disabilities. Public awareness and support are crucial to ensuring that people with disabilities are welcome in their communities and in the workforce.
Washington, D.C., March 17 – As nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 8,964 Hoosiers with disabilities entered Indiana’s workforce last year. Indiana now ranks 24th in the nation based on the employment rate for people with disabilities. Out of 477,660 working-age (18-64) people with disabilities living in the Hoosier state, 84,343 have jobs. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows Indiana has an employment rate of 38.6 percent for people with disabilities. Further analysis by the nonpartisan advocacy group RespectAbility shows that Indiana’s disability employment rate has steadily increased over the past three years.
Crucial to Indiana’s efforts to expand employment opportunities for Hoosiers with disabilities is the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities. Founded in 1980, the Council works on a variety of advocacy, leadership and training opportunities across the state. In March, the Council celebrates Disability Awareness Month with a public relations campaign to raise awareness of disability issues. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Be Cool. We Are.”
Gov. Eric Holcomb is doing his part to celebrate the month and to celebrate the contributions of Hoosiers with disabilities. “Disability in no way diminishes the right of individuals with disabilities to live independently, make choices, contribute to society, and fully participate in the economic, political, social, cultural and educational mainstream of American society,” he wrote in a proclamation released on March 1st.
Washington, D.C., March 16 –While nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 6,977 people with disabilities left South Carolina’s workforce. South Carolina now ranks 45th in the nation for employment rates for people with disabilities. Out of the 376,889 working-age (18-64) South Carolina natives with disabilities, only 122,789 have jobs. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows South Carolina has a disability employment of only 32.6 percent for people with disabilities.
Further analysis by the nonpartisan advocacy group RespectAbility shows that the job losses in the past year come after more than 23,000 people with disabilities entered the Palmetto State’s workforce back in 2016.
Gov. Henry McMaster, who just won a full four-year term this past November, has previously expressed his desire to advance opportunities for his citizens with disabilities. “South Carolinians with disabilities have the same aspirations to competitively work and contribute to their communities as anyone else,” McMaster wrote in an October 2018 proclamation written in honor of Disability Employment Awareness Month. “All people are needed to reduce attitudinal and physical barriers that hinder the full acceptance of people with disabilities and their rightful place in employment.”
Washington, D.C., March 16 – Nationwide 111,804 people with disabilities got new jobs last year, including 8.040 new jobs in the Show Me State. Missouri now ranks 31st in the nation in terms of the employment rate for people with disabilities. Overall, there are 463,965 working-age (18-64) Missouri natives with disabilities and 172,283 have jobs. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows Missouri has an employment rate of 37.1 percent.
This news comes out weeks after Missouri Governor Mike Parson made a new commitment to ensure that state government becomes a model employer of people with disabilities. At a site visit with community service provider Paraquad in St. Louis, Gov. Parson said, “Making Missouri a model employer is vital to ensuring we are offering individuals living with disabilities options of secure competitive employment in the workforce. My administration’s vision for developing our workforce includes each and every Missourian.”
Parson’s announcement echoes previous statements he has made about expanding jobs for Missourians with disabilities. “Workplaces welcoming of all people, including people with disabilities, are a critical part of the efforts to build an inclusive community and strong economy,” Parson wrote in October 2018 in a proclamation celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Washington, D.C., March 15 – While nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 8,682 people with disabilities left Georgia’s workforce. Georgia now ranks 37th in the nation based on the employment rate of people with disabilities. Out of the 661,498 working-age (18-64) Georgians with disabilities, only 227,895 have jobs. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows Georgia has an employment rate of 34.5 percent for people with disabilities.
Further analysis by the nonpartisan advocacy group RespectAbility shows that despite the job losses in the past year, employment opportunities for Georgians with disabilities have been steadily expanding with the overall disability employment rate increasing from 33.9 percent in the previous year. Back in 2016, more than 28,000 people with disabilities entered the workforce.
“While employees with disabilities typically have higher retention rates than their non-disabled peers, a certain amount of turnover is to be expected,” said Philip Kahn-Pauli, RespectAbility’s Policy and Practices Director. “As people with disabilities enter the workforce, they are exploring different jobs and searching for the right career. Sometimes the first job isn’t a good fit. In the end, however, finding the right job for the right people with disabilities can improve business’ bottom line.”
Washington, D.C., March 14 – Last year, more than 1,700 Vermonters with disabilities entered the workforce, propelling the Green Mountain State to join the ranks of the top states with the best employment rates for people with disabilities. Part of a nationwide trend of job growth for people with disabilities, Vermont stood out for a dramatic increase in its overall disability employment, now ranking sixth in the nation. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows Vermont has a 47.2 disability employment rate. That number is up from only 39.6 percent employment for Vermonters with disabilities.
To put that in a larger perspective, there are 47,113 working-age (18-64) Vermonters with disabilities. Out of that number, 22,234 have jobs. Nationally, the disability employment rate of all Americans with disabilities is only 37 percent. What that means is that Vermont consistently outperforms other, bigger states like California and Texas.
Vermont’s disability community has benefitted from the leadership shown by Gov. Phil Scott. When he was running for election back in 2016, Scott spoke publicly about his commitment to support and expand job opportunities for more and more Vermonters with disabilities. “Disability issues are very personal for me, and are critical to address,” he wrote in response to a nonpartisan candidate questionnaire from the advocacy group RespectAbility. “As a Vermonter, I will always support the rights of all people to live with dignity and independence.”
Washington, D.C., March 14 – As nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 578 people with disabilities in Wyoming were part of this gain in the workforce. Wyoming now ranks 10th in the nation for employment rates of people with disabilities with 19,063 of the 41,825 working-age (18-64) Wyomingites with disabilities being employed. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows Wyoming has a 45.6 disability employment rate.
Among newly sworn-in Gov. Mark Gordon’s first actions as Governor was to select Erin Johnson as his Health and Human Services Policy Advisor, signaling a firm commitment to working on “key Wyoming issues and advocating on behalf of…those with disabilities and Wyoming youth.”
Gov. Gordon’s administration is well positioned to continue supporting its citizens with disabilities. Wyoming’s Employment First Initiative has become a key policy program to enable people with disabilities to secure employment rather than just receiving government benefits. The initiative brings together job seekers with disabilities, employers who need talented workers and community service providers to facilitated connections.
Washington, D.C., March 14 – As nationally 111,804 jobs were gained by people with disabilities, 4,040 people with disabilities in Oklahoma were part of this gain in the workforce. Oklahoma now ranks 29th in the nation for employment rates of people with disabilities with 127,608 of the 339,773 working-age (18-64) Oklahomans with disabilities having jobs. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows Oklahoma has a 37.6 disability employment rate.
Newly-elected Gov. Kevin Sttit is well positioned to support further job gains among Oklahomans with disabilities. In 2018, Oklahoma’s Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), the state agency primarily responsible for helping job seekers with disabilities, reported they had successfully taken “more than 3,400 people [with disabilities] looking for work off wait lists and placed them in jobs.”
DRS also has a special commitment to supporting youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a model program called Project SEARCH, a proven business-led program where students with disabilities get hands on real-world job skills in their final year of high school. Nationwide, SEARCH already had served more than 3000 young adults with disabilities by 2015 and 78 percent of them found jobs. The businesses that participate are un-subsidized and incorporate the talents of the students with disabilities fully into their office. As reported on DRS’ website, they currently support “three young adult programs in Oklahoma City, one young adult program in Yukon, and one high school transition program for seniors in Enid.”
