Executive Summary: Disability Employment Policies and Practices in Private and Federal Sector Organizations

Approximately one in six people has a disability, yet people with disabilities are often greatly under or unemployed compared to their non-disabled peers. This represents a significant loss of willing and able talent to both private and public sector organizations, as well as loss of income and social and economic participation for people with disabilities. This disparity is a function of inequity that has permeated social policy, access to education, training, and employment, as well as society’s attitudes. To address this disparity, both the US Department of Education National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) (grant #H133A70005) and the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities have separately funded initiatives to examine employer practices in response to the ADA