Contrary to what’s happening with the rest of the population, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities dropped in March, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

After a three month rise, unemployment among people with disabilities fell to 13.1 percent compared with 14 percent in February. But that doesn’t mean that more people with disabilities have jobs. In fact, the number of people in this population with jobs remained steady. However, in March more people with disabilities were deemed not in the labor force.

What’s more, unemployment remains much higher for people with disabilities than the rest of the population, which saw a rise to just 8.9 percent unemployment in March. These numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

The Department of Labor began tracking employment for people with disabilities in October 2008. The data covers people with disabilities over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February. Now, reports are released monthly.

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Previous stories on this topic:

Job Numbers Grim For People With Disabilities Too (March 6, 2009)

Scoop Essentials: Beating The Employment Odds (February 16, 2009)

In First Employment Report, People With Disabilities Faring Poorly (February 6, 2009)

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