No abstract

BACKGROUND: People with disabilities experience longstanding barriers to employment. However, beyond the conventional metrics of labor force participation or unemployment rates we know very little about the workplace experiences of people with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: This study describes findings from the 2015 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey (2015 KFNEDS), a nationally representative survey of Americans with disabilities. METHODS: A dual-frame, random digit dial, nationally representative survey was conducted. Survey respondents included 3013 working age adults with a disability. Survey respondents were asked about disability, employment status, job search activities and workplace experiences. RESULTS: Over 42% of survey respondents were currently working. 68.4% were striving to work characterized by job preparation, job search and/or participation in the workforce since the onset of their disability. Although some barriers persisted in the workplace, many were able to overcome the same. Overall, 47.8% of the respondents used workplace accommodations, 45.3% were satisfied with their jobs, 86.6% felt accepted in their workplace. CONCLUSION: The 2015 KFNEDS highlights how people with disabilities strive to work and overcome barriers, a discourse largely overlooked in contemporary disability and employment research. Survey findings can inform new programs and policies to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Purpose Job crafting is an informal, employee-initiated approach to job re-design that has not been tested among people with disabilities, thus far. The purpose of this study is to examine crafting behaviors of workers with disabilities and individual factors associated with crafting behaviors. Methods We conducted a survey of employees with disabilities who were 18–64 years old and had at least 1 year of work experience. Bivariate and multivariate methods were used to: (1) compare the use of job crafting behaviors between our sample and published results from a sample of the general population; (2) identify individual characteristics associated with job crafting for workers with disabilities. Results Persons with disabilities engage in job crafting behaviors, albeit at lower levels than that reported in a broader sample (Int J Wellbeing, https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v3i2.1, 2013). Education, and disability type (visual and mobility impairment) were associated with certain types of crafting behaviors. Conclusions As job crafting can be associated with higher levels of engagement and career growth among persons without disabilities, findings from this research can be utilized to design programs and policies that support the career goals of people with disabilities beyond labor force participation.