Work Status and Work Performance of People With Disabilities

As the U.S. economy is thrust into the global economy and meets global economic competition, the country needs to mobilize people with disabilities to participate in the labor force and enable them to work and earn money optimally. Therefore, it is important to investigate the extent to which disability affects the employment rate and the levels of hourly wages and monthly earnings. This article presents the results of a study that investigated the net effect of disability on the work performance of adults. The specific areas of investigation were employment rate, monthly earnings, hourly wages, and hours of work per week. The major findings were that both statistically and substantively, the rate of employment and the level of monthly earnings of people with disabilities are significantly lower, controlling for other variables. Policy implications are discussed.