DISABLED POPULATION HAVING HARD TIME FINDING WORK IN 2013

When the New Year hits most people hope that the coming year will be filled with better news and more happiness than the prior year. So far, that is not the case when it comes to employment for the disabled.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that the unemployment rate among the disabled in the country is relatively high. Unemployment rates overall are less-than-ideal, but it is particularly difficult for Americans with disabilities to secure work in an already tough job market.

In January of this year, the overall unemployment rate was about 7.9 percent, while the unemployment rate among those with disabilities was 13.7 percent. That number was up by about 2 percent from the prior month, reportedly due to a growth in the number of job applicants who have disabilities.

It would be interesting to track whether more and more people with disabilities continue to seek work and to determine why that is the case. Sure, many people want to work because it makes them happy to have a paying job. They enjoy contributing to society in that way. It is also good for the workforce to have a diverse pool of workers.

But perhaps more people are looking for work because they are having problems securing disability benefits. The U.S. Labor Department doesn’t report whether that’s the case; it’s a mere theoretical perspective on this employment matter.

Our disability lawyers help clients with disabling conditions of all kinds whose disability insurance claims have been wrongfully denied or delayed.

Source: Disability Scoop, “Unemployment Surges For People With Disabilities,” Michelle Diament, Feb. 1, 2013