recession

In this working paper, researchers evaluated employment trends for people with and without disabilities over the course of the COVID-19 recession and subsequent employment recovery, both overall and by occupational category (essential, non-essential, teleworkable, non-teleworkable, frontline, nonfrontline) using data from the nationally representative Current Population Survey. As the COVID-19 recession began in the second quarter of 2020, people with disabilities experienced employment losses that were proportionately similar to those experienced by people without disabilities.

This research brief explores trends in unemployment for people with disabilities before and during the ongoing recession. While temporary unemployment has gone down for some, it may be becoming permanent for others.

This fact sheet discusses how people with disabilities, particularly those in rural areas, are especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 recession because they are less likely to have an emergency savings fund, have access to paid leave, or be able to work from home. It analyzes data from the 2015 and 2016 Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making (SHED) and the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) 2017-18 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module.