Workplace Discrimination Against Disabled Workers Persists
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/08/26 - Updated: 2026/01/19
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Discrimination - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information draws from legal expertise and government labor statistics to examine how workplace discrimination continues to affect disabled employees two decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. The analysis presents concrete employment data showing that disabled workers experience unemployment rates nearly twice that of their non-disabled peers, with research from the Kessler Foundation revealing that 79 percent of working-age disabled participants were unemployed compared to 41 percent of able-bodied participants. The piece provides valuable context for job seekers with disabilities, employers navigating accommodation requirements, and advocates working to address persistent employment barriers that physical accessibility improvements alone haven't resolved - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
In the 20 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, the world has advanced enormously in accommodating people with mental or physical impairments. Buildings are more accessible; offering automatic doors, wheelchair ramps and added room for maneuvering. Many businesses now offer lower counter-tops and employers have installed higher desks to assist disabled persons. The implementation of disabled parking places today make it easier for disabled people to get in and out of public or commercial structures.
Main Content
Unfortunately, oftentimes the physical changes made to make a business more accessible to impaired visitors do not translate into a more tolerant workplace for disabled employees. Twenty long years since President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA, a law most equality advocates hoped would be a panacea to end discrimination against the disabled, countless workers around the country still suffer the sting of prejudice today.
Disabled Equals Unemployable?
Whether purposeful or done subconsciously, little doubt remains today whether otherwise capable workers with some form of mental or physical disability are treated differently. In fact, a recent short-term study performed by the Kessler Foundation and the National Organization on Disabilities reported that 59 percent of 1,800 working-age study participants with no obvious functional impairments were working full- or part-time, compared to only 21 percent of similarly situated disabled workers. This means that, sadly, 79 percent of disabled participants in this study were unemployed, nearly twice the 41 percent rate of able-bodied participants.
A whopping 73 percent of the currently unemployed disabled workers surveyed by the Kessler Foundation and the National Organization on Disabilities feel that their disability directly correlates to their "unemployability."
The employment disparity affects the entire country - the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the national unemployment rate for disabled workers today is 14.5 percent, compared with only nine percent for non-disabled ones. Many disabled job seekers find businesses much more reluctant to hire a disabled worker because they fear costly accommodations or future discrimination lawsuits.
Congress realized the ADA was lacking in some areas. In 2008, they passed the ADA Amendments Act. The revisions should have expanded the disabilities that are covered under the ADA, clarified the process of seeking disability benefits and provided further guidance for employers and employees alike. Now the ball is in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)'s court - passively languishing for the past two years. The EEOC claims change is coming, but is reluctant to give a firm date for new ADA-related regulations.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The gap between architectural progress and workplace acceptance reveals a sobering truth about disability rights in America. While ramps and automatic doors have become standard fixtures in our built environment, the statistics tell us that actual employment opportunities haven't kept pace with these physical changes. The delay in implementing the 2008 ADA Amendments Act highlights how bureaucratic inertia can stall meaningful reform, leaving workers in legal limbo. What's particularly striking is that nearly three-quarters of unemployed disabled workers directly connect their disability to their inability to find work - a candid acknowledgment that despite decades of legislation, fundamental attitudes about capability and productivity remain stubbornly resistant to change. Until employers move past viewing disability accommodations as burdensome liabilities rather than necessary investments in talented workers, the promise of equal opportunity will remain frustratingly out of reach for millions of qualified Americans - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.