Jobs Difficult to Find for Disabled People

posted on Nov 30 by Stacy in the Disability News category

Unemployment Rate by County, December 2008

Unemployment rates are said to be around 10% in the United States right now, but among certain groups the rates are higher, including people with disabilities.

An economist for the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire thinks that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities hovers around 17.5%. This doesn’t even include those who have completely given up looking for a job, because they are not counted in these figures. Surveys in the past have shown that most people with disabilities definitely want to work, but after looking for long periods of time and finding nothing, they give up.

There are many hurdles, including the fact that many employers believe that these workers are not qualified, or that the accommodations needed to get them ready for work would be too expensive (not so - accommodations are free or usually no more than $500)

Some people are preparing for an early retirement, thinking about selling their houses, and moving somewhere with a low cost of living. They are also really worried about health insurance, which without an employers help can be an insurmountable cost for someone with ongoing health concerns.

If you are disabled, have you had trouble finding a job recently?