The unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities remained stubbornly high in July, falling just slightly below the record-tying level seen the previous month.
The jobless rate in July was 16.8 percent for those with disabilities, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That’s down negligibly from 16.9 percent in June when unemployment equaled the record-high set in August 2009.
The employment difficulties come as the economy showed some signs of life in July, adding 117,000 jobs. Despite this, the unemployment rate for the general population also changed little, dropping to 9.1 percent from 9.2 percent in June.
The Labor Department began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.
Data on people with disabilities covers those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.
The unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities has remained high in July, does not surprise me at all when I have tried to get a job myself since 2007 in the state of Florida. I went back to study but now with my child filing her own income tax due to Publication 501 I will not be able to go to study. The system only wants to control consumers and a Paralegal Science does not demand a Bachelor Degree but an Associate in the State so consumers will remain behind and would not be able to get a degree. I am not surprise but it shows how the system does not understand that consumers need to compete on a demanding market not to accommodate what would be beneficial to the system.
It is good that the Labor Department began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008, but is time to change all that and not demanding a good education for consumers is not a way to show that we want to make consumers able to compete on this demanding market. Still there is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted. Data on people with disabilities covers those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly, but the community waits patiently for a change.
The best way to improve the unemployment rate of people with disabilities is to first invest in improving the current educational infrastructure and increase opportunities for PWDs to be able to become educated and trained. This begins at beginning with primary and secondary education programs, including special education, so that PWDs are not prescribed an education that in turn will become obsolete compared to their needs. Our greater community is competetive in a way that disregards PWDs altogether, rather than recognizing the many vital roles that can be fulfilled by them. We must also get on board and advocate for the TEAM bills, Workforce Investment Act, CLASS Act and other legisltion that will undoubtedly improve and ensure the possibility of people with disabilities being able to stake their claim and be competetive in the workforce.
For too many people with disabilities employment means low wages. Too many are under sheltered workshops that usually pay sub-minimum wages. Our local IL has developed programs to help high-school students with disabilities look at their options for the future. Many have taken the steps togo on to further education and a career. It is nice to see that PWD’s are looking further than a lifetime working at McDonald’s. Hopefully the job slump will pick up soon so that more people can return to the workforce.