Historic narrowing of employment gap post-pandemic, especially for people with cognitive disabilities

BACKGROUND: People with disabilities are underemployed. This improved recently, but how broadly across disability type? US law allows employers to pay people with disabilities far below minimum wage, typically in segregated settings (sheltered workshops), if employers hold federal 14(c) certificates. Almost everyone in 14(c) employment has an intellectual/developmental disability. Some states have eliminated sheltered workshops, and the Biden administration may propose phasing them out. This is controversial.OBJECTIVE: To examine employment patterns pre- and post-pandemic among people with disabilities and patterns in use of sheltered workshops.METHOD: We analyzed American Community Survey data on employment rate, by type of disability (or lack of disability), for 2010-2023, Department of Labor data on 14(c) subminimum wage certificates in Community Rehabilitation Programs for 2010-2024, and Department of Labor data on number of workers paid subminimum wages in such programs for 2015-2024.RESULTS: American Community Survey data show the disability employment gap narrowing post-pandemic for every disability category—but narrowing especially dramatically for people with cognitive disabilities. Long-term, the employment gap for people with cognitive disabilities narrowed in every state while Department of Labor data show 14(c) enrollment decreasing in every state.CONCLUSION: Research to inform public policy and hiring and retention practices should take advantage of the post-pandemic improvement in the employment gap for people with disabilities, especially cognitive disabilities, and marketing investments should promote them.