East Hanover, NJ – August 1, 2025 – The latest National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report shows that the employment of people with disabilities declined by a full percentage point last month, while the employment of people without disabilities remained unchanged. At the same time, the labor force participation of people with disabilities held steady as individuals stay in the job market during these uncertain economic times, according to nTIDE experts. nTIDE is issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability .
Month-to-Month nTIDE Numbers (comparing June 2025 to July 2025)
Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Jobs Report released today, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) decreased from 38.0 percent in June 2025 to 37.0 percent in July 2025 (down 2.6 percent or 1 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the employment-to-population ratio remained unchanged at 75.1 percent in June 2025 and July 2025. The employment-to-population ratio, a key indicator, reflects the percentage of people who are working relative to the total population (the number of people working divided by the number of people in the total population multiplied by 100).
"The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities declined by a full percentage point, in stark contrast to that of people without disabilities," according to John O'Neill, PhD , director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. "However, this decline is within the employment-trend plateau we've seen the past two years," he added.
Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) decreased from 41.9 percent in June 2025 to 41.6 percent in July 2025 (down 0.7 percent or 0.3 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the labor force participation rate increased from 78.4 percent in June 2025 to 78.5 percent in July 2025 (up 0.1 percent or 0.1 percentage points). The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work (the number of people in the labor force divided by the number of people in the total population multiplied by 100).
"Last month, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities declined less than the employment-to-population ratio, suggesting an increase in the number of individuals with disabilities actively seeking work," said Andrew Houtenville, PhD , professor of economics and director of the UNH-IOD. Dr. Houtenville further explained: "We are closely watching economic indicators. The delayed effects of tariffs could push the economy into a period of stagflation, a period of declining economic growth and rising prices. As a result, we anticipate that employment will decline while labor force participation will increase for people with disabilities. This shift is likely an effort to offset the loss of household income, as nearly one-third of people with disabilities are living below the poverty line. This trend mirrors what occurred during the COVID lockdown recession when many people with disabilities stayed in the labor market."
Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (comparing July 2024 to July 2025)
When compared to the same month last year, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities increased slightly from 36.9 percent in July 2024 to 37 percent in July 2025 (up 0.3 percent or 0.1 percentage point). For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio decreased slightly from 75.2 percent in July 2024 to 75.1 percent in July 2025 (down 0.1 percent or 0.1 percentage point).
The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities increased from 40.5 percent in July 2024 to 41.6 percent in July 2025 (up 2.7 percent or 1.1 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate decreased from 78.7 percent in July 2024 to 78.5 percent in July 2025 (down 0.3 percent or 0.2 percentage points).
In July, among workers ages 16-64, the 6,535,000 workers with disabilities represented 4.3 percent of the total 152,418,000 workers in the U.S.
Ask Questions about Disability and Employment
Each nTIDE release is followed by an nTIDE Lunch & Learn online webinar. This live broadcast, hosted via Zoom Webinar, offers attendees Q&A on the latest nTIDE findings, provides news, updates from the field, and features invited panelists who discuss current disability-related findings and events.
On August 1, 2025, at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Eastern, guest presenter Rebecca Cokley , Program Officer, U.S. Disability Rights, Ford Foundation, joins Drs. John O'Neill, Andrew Houtenville, and Denise Rozell, AUCD. Join our free Lunch & Learn live or visit the nTIDE archives at: ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE .
About nTIDE Updates
National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) is a joint project of Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. The nTIDE team closely monitors the job numbers, issuing semi-monthly reports that track the impact of economic shifts on employment for people with and without disabilities. The statistics in the nTIDE are based on BLS numbers but are not identical. They are customized by UNH to combine statistics for people of working age (16-64). nTIDE is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR; 90RTGE0005) and Kessler Foundation. Each nTIDE release is followed by an nTIDE Lunch & Learn online webinar. This live broadcast, hosted via Zoom Webinar, offers attendees Q&A on the latest nTIDE findings, provides news, updates from the field, and features invited panelists who discuss current disability-related findings and events.
About the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
