Personal Characteristics of Vocational Rehabilitation Applicants: Findings from the Survey of Disability and Employment

Background

Existing survey and administrative data provide little information on why individuals with disabilities have had persistently low employment rates and why some groups of individuals fare better in the labor market than others.

Objective

Our goal is to provide new insights into the barriers and facilitators to employment among individuals with disabilities.

Methods

We designed the Survey of Disability and Employment, a 30-minute telephone survey, to collect information on health conditions, employment history and barriers, and workplace and social supports for 2,804 vocational rehabilitation (VR) applicants in 2014.

Results

In addition to citing health issues, VR applicants cite many barriers to employment, including difficulty finding a job, lack of skills, and accessibility. Health presents as a barrier due to unpredictability of symptoms, pain, and lack of physical energy and adequate time. Despite these barriers, the majority of VR applicants state it is extremely important that they work and most have high self-perceptions of executive functioning.

Conclusion

A richer understanding of the resources and needs of individuals with disabilities can help counselors and policymakers better tailor services to support their employment goals.