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From February 2026 to March 2026, the number of people employed increased from 38.1 to 38.5% for people with disabilities and increased from 74.5 to 74.8 percent for people without disabilities. The labor force participation rate increased from 41.8 to 41.9 percent for people with disabilities and decreased from 78.1 to 78.0 percent for people without disabilities.
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Credit: Kessler Foundation
East Hanover, NJ – April 3, 2026 – The April 2026 National Initiatives for Persons with Disabilities (nTIDE) report shows moderate gains in employment of people with disabilities of working age at a faster rate and moderate wages in the labor market. nTIDE is offered monthly by the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire Center on Disability.
Based on data from the BLS Today’s Jobs Report and a separate nTIDE analysis, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) increased from 38.1 percent in February 2026 to 38.5 percent in March 2026 (up 1 percent or 0.4 percent). For people without disabilities (aged 16-64), the employment rate of the population also increased from 74.5 percent in February 2026 to 74.8 percent in March 2026 (up 0.4 percent or 0.3 percent). The employment-to-population ratio, which is an important indicator, is the percentage of working people in relation to the population (the number of working people divided by the population, then multiplied by 100).
“This month’s employment-to-population ratio (35.5%) is back to the high level we saw late last year and early this year,” said John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Kessler Foundation’s Center for Employment and Disability Research.
“The poverty rate among families that include a person with a disability remains high and the rising cost of living, driven by tariffs and the war in Iran, may prompt more people with disabilities to seek work to support their families.”
Similarly, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities increased slightly from 41.8 percent in February 2026 to 41.9 percent in March 2026 (up 0.2 percentage points or 0.1 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate decreased slightly from 78.1 percent in February 2026 to 78 percent in March 2026 (less than 0.1 percent or 0.1 percent). The labor force participation rate shows the number of people in work (working, laid off, on leave, or actively looking for work in the past four weeks) divided by the number of people in work (the number of people in work divided by the number of people in the population multiplied by 100).
Andrew Houtenville, PhD, professor of economics and director of UNH-IOD, said: “The rate of people with disabilities increased slightly in March.” “This may indicate an increase in labor supply, as more people with disabilities enter the workforce to help their families cope with rising prices,” he added. “The most immediate effect on the labor market today is inflation.”
Compared to the same period last year, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities has increased from 37.5 percent in March 2025 to 38.5 percent in March 2026 (an increase of 2.7 percent or one point). For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio remained the same at 74.8 percent in March 2025 and March 2026.
The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities increased from 40.9 percent in March 2025 to 41.9 percent in March 2026 (an increase of 2.4 percentage points or one point). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate remained the same at 78.0 percent in March 2025 and March 2026.
In March, among workers aged 16-64, 6,568,000 workers with disabilities represented 4.3 percent of the 151,224,000 US workers.
Ask Questions about Disability and Employment
On the same day that nTIDE is offered, the team hosts an nTIDE Lunch and Learn webinar. This live Zoom broadcast gives attendees the opportunity to ask questions about the latest research, hear news and updates from the field, and learn from invited panelists discussing the latest research and events related to disability.
On April 3, 2026guest speakers Stacia Kingsbury, MPP, policy analyst, and Nate Thomas, MS, research data scientist, at the University of New Hampshire Center on Disability join Dr. O’Neill, Houtenville, and Lillie Heigl, director of policy at the Association of University Centers on Disability. Visit the nTIDE archives at ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE to register for free or view a recording of this nTIDE Lunch and Learn event.
About the National Guidelines for Disability Employment (nTIDE)
nTIDE is a joint effort of the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Center on Disability. The nTIDE team tracks employment trends for people with and without disabilities, providing monthly reports that show the impact of economic changes on the workforce. These reports use data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics but have been compiled 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 the Kessler Foundation.
About the Center on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire’s Disability Center expands access and opportunity for people with disabilities in ways that strengthen local and national communities. As part of a Carnegie Classification R1 university, IOD accelerates disability inclusion through research, education and collaboration. Its Disability Research Center provides reliable analysis and tools that make disability data accessible and actionable. For more information, visit researchondisability.org.
About the Kessler Foundation
The Kessler Foundation, founded in 1985, is New Jersey’s leading nonprofit and world leader in rehabilitation research committed to changing the lives of people with disabilities. Through groundbreaking research, the Kessler Foundation advances recovery and promotes independence to build an inclusive and accessible world.
Our team of award-winning scientists develops and tests new technologies to transform care and improve 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 supporting high-impact community projects that increase employment opportunities, the Kessler Foundation also addresses barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.
Powered by a dedicated team of more than 175 professionals funded by federal and state grants and private donations, the Kessler Foundation is redefining what is possible in rehabilitation care and recovery. For more information, visit kesslerfoundation.org.
Click Contact the Kessler Foundation:
Carmen Cusido, ccusido@kesslerfoundation.org
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