Posted on January 21, 2022February 3, 2022 by Dina Klimkina
The American Rescue Plan Act: Utilization of Federal Funds to Bolster Employment Supports for Persons with Disabilities
By Rachel Wright, Policy Analyst
Despite earlier evidence of higher unemployment rates among persons with disabilities compared to those without a disability, more recent employment data shows that two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, employment rates among people with disabilities have rebounded faster.
While 2020 data showed both a disproportionate decrease in the employment rate of working-age people with disabilities and a slowed economic recovery rate among people with disabilities who experienced pandemic-related job loss, data from December 2021 showed a labor force participation rate of people with disabilities that exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the seventh consecutive month. Analysts suggested that the pandemic has created a labor market where persons with disabilities, who are often characterized as resourceful, may be capitalizing on supply-side shortages.
However, it may also be an indicator that programs to support workers with disabilities are seeing success, which makes it incumbent upon state policymakers and their partners to ensure their longevity as part of an inclusive post-pandemic economic recovery. That means a continued focus on recovery policies that bolster employment supports for [...]