image: From August 2025 to September 2025, the employment-to-population ratio decreased from 38.5 to 38.2 percent for people with disabilities and increased from 74.5 to 74.7 percent for people without disabilities. The labor force participation rate decreased from 42.2 to 42.1 percent for people with disabilities and remained stable at 77.9 percent for people without disabilities.
Credit: Kessler Foundation
East Hanover, NJ – December 5, 2025 – The December 2025 National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report shows that employment outcomes for working-aged people with disabilities remain near historic highs, despite broader economic uncertainty. nTIDE reporting was on hiatus while the federal government shutdown delayed the release of employment data, which only recently became available.
Although employment and labor force participation edged down slightly in September, both measures continue to outperform year-to-year trends for workers without disabilities. Overall, the findings point to sustained labor market engagement among people with disabilities, alongside early signs that economic pressures may be influencing job-seeking behavior.
nTIDE is issued monthly by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. The main U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report for September 2025 was released on Thursday, November 20, 2025, after being delayed by a government shutdown.
Based on data from the BLS Jobs Report the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16 to 64) slightly decreased from 38.5 percent in August 2025 to 38.2 percent in September 2025 (down 0.8 percent or 0.3 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio slightly increased from 74.5 percent in August 2025 to 74.7 percent in September 2025 (up 0.3 percent or 0.2 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).
“Despite short-term fluctuations, employment outcomes for people with disabilities continue to show remarkable stability with only modest month-to-month movement,” said John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. “What stands out is how close these figures remain to historic highs. After a data disruption caused by the government shutdown, upcoming federal reports will be important for understanding whether this level of employment is holding as we move toward the end of the year,” he added. “We’ll be watching closely to see whether these historically high levels represent a new baseline.”
Similarly, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities slightly decreased from 42.2 percent in August 2025 to 42.1 percent in September 2025 (down 0.2 percent or 0.1 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate remained the same at 77.9 percent in September 2025 (no changes). 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).
“The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities dipped slightly in September, but the change was well within the margin of error,” said Hyun Ju Kim, PhD, project director III at UNH-IOD.
Importantly, this does not signal a loss of momentum. In fact, the smaller decline in participation compared with employment suggests that more people with disabilities are actively seeking work.
“Labor force participation is a complex indicator,” Kim added. “Economic pressures—such as rising prices or lost household income—can push more people into the labor market, even when job growth slows. This context matters, particularly given that one in four working-age individuals with disabilities lives below the poverty line,” she asserted. “As additional economic data are released in the coming months, we’ll gain a clearer picture of how these forces are shaping labor market engagement for people with disabilities.”
When compared to the same month last year, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16 to 64) increased from 37.5 percent in September 2024 to 38.2 percent in September 2025 (up 1.9 percent or 0.7 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio decreased from 75 percent in September 2024 to 74.7 percent in September 2025 (down 0.4 percent or 0.3 percentage points).
The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities (ages 16 to 64) increased from 40.8 percent in September 2024 to 42.1 percent in September 2025 (up 3.2 percent or 1.3 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate remained the same as September 2024 at 77.9 percent in September 2025 (no changes). In September, among workers ages 16 to 64, the 6,586,000 workers with disabilities represented 4.3 percent of the total 152,159,000 workers in the U.S.
Ask Questions about Disability and Employment
On the same day nTIDE is issued, the team hosts an nTIDE Lunch & Learn webinar. This live Zoom broadcast gives attendees a chance to ask questions about the latest findings, hear news and updates from the field, and learn from invited panelists who discuss current disability-related research and events.
On December 5, 2025, at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET, guest presenter Julie J. Christensen, PhD, executive director of the Association of People Supporting Employment First, join Drs. O’Neill and Kim, and Lillie Heigl, director of policy at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Join our free Lunch and Learn live or visit the nTIDE archives at: ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE.
About National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE)
nTIDE is a joint effort of Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. The nTIDE team tracks employment trends for people with and without disabilities, issuing monthly reports that reflect the impact of economic changes on the workforce. These reports use data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics but customized by UNH-IOD to focus on working-age adults (ages 16 to 64). nTIDE is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR; 90RTGE0005) and Kessler Foundation.
About the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire expands access and opportunity for people with disabilities in ways that strengthen communities locally and nationally. As part of a Carnegie Classification R1 university, the IOD accelerates disability inclusion through research, education, and collaboration. Its Center for Research on Disability delivers trusted analysis and tools that make disability data more accessible and actionable. For more information, 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.
Press Contact at Kessler Foundation:
Carmen Cusido, ccusido@kesslerfoundation.org
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