People spend the vast majority of their time in three places: home, school, and/or work. While work may not always be as fun as relaxing at home or being at a social outing, it can provide a sense of purpose and community.
Disabled people crave these intrinsic benefits, too. There’s no better time to recognize this and celebrate their contributions to the workforce than National Employment Disability Awareness Month, or NDEAM. To mark the occasion, NeuroNav is pleased to present some interesting statistics on employment for disabled adults.
A Brief History of National Disability Employment Awareness Month
More than 80 years ago, in the immediate aftermath of World War II, Americans started recognizing the importance of workplace inclusion for people with physical disabilities. Servicepeople who were coming back from Europe and the South Pacific with amputated limbs and other physical challenges needed work like everyone else.
So, in October 1945, Congress proclaimed “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1988, it was extended to a full month, and the language was updated to include people with more than just physical disabilities. The NDEAM theme for 2026 is “Celebrating Value and Talent.”
5 Facts You Should Know About Employment for Disabled Individuals
Knowledge is power. Below are five illuminating statistics that show the state of the workforce for people with disabilities.
Nearly 6.6 million of the nation’s employees have at least one disability.
That’s around 4.5 percent of the total American workforce.
Of disabled people aged 16–64, 43.4 percent were employed as of August 2026.
The Department of Labor regularly publishes timely workforce statistics, and this latest one for disabled individuals shows a rising labor force participation rate. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, is 8.3 percent for this same cohort, compared to 4.2 percent for working-age people without a disability.
Disabled employees of working age (16–64) are much more likely to be working part-time than non-disabled employees.
Last year, around 25.8 percent of workers with disabilities aged 16–64 said they “usually” work part-time, compared to 15.5 percent of non-disabled workers.
An estimated 45 percent of Californians with a disability aged 21–64 had jobs in 2024.
California ranked 39th out of 50 in the statewide disabled employment rate. West Virginia ranked last at 38.9 percent; Nebraska and Colorado tied for first at 58.4 percent.
Companies that embrace the hiring of disabled workers see improved financial performance.
Accenture concluded in a 2023 study that businesses with higher scores on the Disability Equality Index (DEI) experience twice the economic profit and 2.6 times the net income of companies with lower DEI scores.
How the SDP Empowers Adults to Pursue Their Career Goals
The California Self-Determination Program (SDP) is a new way for regional center customers to spend their budgets. Enrolled customers, usually referred to as SDP participants, often enjoy a newfound flexibility in their supports and services.
One way SDP participants can use their SDP money is through employment supports. In other words, participants can gain skills to help them land—and keep—a job.
For instance, an SDP participant could take classes that teach them how to act in the workplace and how to interact with coworkers. They might also learn to manage their finances responsibly, advocate for accommodations at work, and even prepare for retirement. Check out this previous NeuroNav blog for much more information on employment supports within the SDP.
NeuroNav Makes Navigating the SDP Simple and Stress-Free
So many SDP participants love the flexibility the program affords them. They like getting creative with their services and having more control over the employment hiring process.
With this flexibility, though, comes a fairly steep learning curve. Families often find the SDP enrollment process overwhelming, especially when they have to keep up with their current services and obligations.
NeuroNav understands SDP pain points and knows how to best advocate for participants at every stage. Our independent facilitation team will guide you through every document, email, phone call, and regional center meeting. We’re here for you during enrollment and beyond.
If you’re interested in speaking with NeuroNav, schedule a consultation at your convenience. We look forward to speaking with you!