An increasing number of people with disabilities joined the workforce as 2014 came to a close, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Figures released Friday show that more Americans with disabilities were employed in December than the month prior.

At the same time, however, there was also an uptick in individuals seeking work, the Labor Department said. That led the unemployment rate for people with disabilities to rise slightly to 11.2 percent, up from 10.8 percent in November.

Overall, the economy added 252,000 jobs in December bringing the jobless rate for the general population down to 5.6 percent.

Federal officials 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.

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