Americans with Disabilities Act Turns 25
This upcoming Sunday, July 26th marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by President George H.W. Bush. Since its signing into law, the ADA has enabled millions of Americans with disabilities to participate in the workforce by removing legal barriers to employment. This landmark piece of legislation prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities within the workplace as well as in receiving services from federal, state, and local governments.
According to the US Census Bureau, in 2010, there were 56.7 million Americans with disabilities, representing 19 percent of the civilian non-institutionalized population. Median earning for individuals with disabilities in the past 12 months is $20,885, amounting to 68 percent of overall median earnings, $30,928.
In 2014, 17.1 percent of individuals with a disability were employed and the unemployment rate for individuals with a disability decreased by 12.5 percent from 2013 to 2014. The United States Department of Labor Statistics notes most individuals with disabilities were employed in the education and health services, retail trade, professional and business services, and manufacturing industries.
PolicyMap has several indicators in the Demographics menu about individuals with disabilities. Featured below is the data by employment, displaying state-level data for individuals with disabilities who are employed in the workforce. Zoom in further to see the data displayed at more local levels.