image: From May 2025 to June 2025, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities remained the same at 38.0 percent. For people without disabilities, the ratio increased slightly, from 74.8 percent to 75.1 percent. The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities increased from 41.4 percent to 41.9 percent. For people without disabilities, the rate increased from 77.8 percent to 78.4 percent.
Credit: Kessler Foundation
East Hanover, NJ – July 3, 2025 – The latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report shows that the employment of people with disabilities has held steady for several months. At the same time, more individuals may be entering the job market in response to economic uncertainty, according to nTIDE experts. nTIDE is issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability.
Month-to-Month nTIDE Numbers (comparing May 2025 to June 2025)
Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report released today, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) remained the same at 38.0 percent in May and June 2025. For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the employment-to-population ratio increased slightly, from 74.8 percent in May 2025 to 75.1 percent in June 2025 (up 0.4 percent or 0.3 percentage points). The employment-to-population ratio, a key indicator, reflects the percentage of people who are working relative to the total population (the number of people working divided by the number of people in the total population multiplied by 100).
“The employment-to-population ratio for people with and without disabilities remains stable,” according to John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. “This leveling off may reflect employer reluctance to make changes in hiring practices until the federal budget is passed and we know it’s effect on state and local economies,” he added.
Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) increased from 41.4 percent in May 2025 to 41.9 percent in June 2025 (up 1.2 percent or 0.5 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate increased from 77.8 percent in May 2025 to 78.4 percent in June 2025 (up 0.8 percent or 0.6 percentage points). The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work (the number of people in the labor force divided by the number of people in the total population multiplied by 100).
“An increase in the labor force participation rate without a change in the employment-to-population ratio indicates that more people with disabilities are actively seeking work,” said Andrew Houtenville, PhD, professor of economics and director of the UNH-IOD. “Historically, the employment rate does not change quickly during a slowing economy. Employers are often reluctant to let go of employees who are difficult to replace. However, the labor force participation may increase as families try to prepare for uncertain economic times,” he added.
Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (comparing June 2024 to June 2025)
When compared to the same month last year, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) increased from 37.6 percent in June 2024 to 38 percent in June 2025 (up 1.1 percent or 0.4 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the employment-to-population ratio remained the same at 75.1 percent in June 2024 and June 2025.
The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) increased from 41.4 percent in June 2024 to 41.9 percent in June 2025 (up 1.2 percent or 0.5 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate remained the same at 78.4 percent in June 2024 and June 2025.
In June, among workers ages 16-64, the 6,654,000 workers with disabilities represented 4.4 percent of the total 152,690,000 workers in the U.S.
Ask Questions about Disability and Employment
Each nTIDE release is followed by an nTIDE Lunch & Learn online webinar. This live broadcast, hosted via Zoom Webinar, offers attendees Q&A on the latest nTIDE findings, provides news, updates from the field, and features invited panelists who discuss current disability-related findings and events.
On July 3, 2025, at 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Eastern, guest presenter Josie Badger, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, joins Drs. John O’Neill, Andrew Houtenville, and Denise Rozell, AUCD. Join our free Lunch & Learn live or visit the nTIDE archives at: ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE.
About nTIDE Updates
National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) is a joint project of Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. The nTIDE team closely monitors the job numbers, issuing semi-monthly reports that track the impact of economic shifts on employment for people with and without disabilities. The statistics in the nTIDE are based on BLS numbers but are not identical. They are customized by UNH to combine the statistics for people of working age (16- 64). nTIDE is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR; 90RTGE0005) and Kessler Foundation. Each nTIDE release is followed by an nTIDE Lunch & Learn online webinar. This live broadcast, hosted via Zoom Webinar, offers attendees Q&A on the latest nTIDE findings, provides news, updates from the field, and features invited panelists who discuss current disability-related findings and events.
About the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire was established in 1987 to provide a university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of persons with disabilities and their families. For information on the Institute’s NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), visit ResearchOnDisability.org.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, founded in 1985, is a New Jersey-based nonprofit and global leader in rehabilitation research committed to changing the lives of people with disabilities. By conducting groundbreaking research, Kessler Foundation advances recovery and fosters independence to build a more inclusive and accessible world.
Our team of award-winning scientists develop and test novel interventions to transform care and optimize mobility, cognition, and quality of life for people with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neurological and developmental disabilities. By analyzing community and workforce participation, developing evidence-based solutions, and funding impactful community initiatives that expand employment opportunities, Kessler Foundation also addresses barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.
Powered by a dedicated team of over 200 professionals funded by federal and state grants and private philanthropy, Kessler Foundation is redefining what is possible in rehabilitation care and recovery. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
For more information, contact:
Deb Hauss, DHauss@KesslerFoundation.org
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