![]() iv Because employment is positively correlated with higher education levels, we would expect that those with higher levels of education would be more likely to have jobs. Using the definition, “blind or have difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses,” 15 percent of people with vision loss had a college degree or higher compared with 30 percent of people with no disability. People with visual impairments and other disabilities have historically fared poorly in both educational attainment and labor market participation relative to people without disabilities. Source: ACS as reported by Cornell University, Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. Or have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses Table: Employment Rates of the Working-age Population (18-64) 2008-2017 by Disability Status This is higher than the rate of the broader disability population at 37 percent but still 35 percentage points lower than the employment rate of those with no disability. The employment rate of people with vision loss dropped from 43 percent in 2008 to a low of 37 percent during the recession, then recovered and steadily rose to about 44 percent in 2017. The percentage of people with disabilities who are working, including those who are blind, has fluctuated over the past nine years since the ACS began including a question that allows researchers to consistently identify the blind or visually impaired population. ![]() Tracking the Statistics Over the Past 10 Years This disparity is attributed to two factors some of these workers may choose to work part-time to retain their SSI or SSDI benefits and others wish to work full-time but have difficulty finding full-time work. Among workers who are blind or visually impaired, 32 percent worked either part time or only part of the year in 2016, compared with 25 percent of those without a disability.Workers who are blind or visually impaired were more likely to be employed part-time or for only part of the year than those with no disability.The high percentage of people not participating in the labor force may represent people who feel they cannot work because of their disability, who choose not to work for fear of losing benefits, or who are discouraged workers who have given up on finding a job. Only 44 percent of people who are blind or visually impaired are employed, compared with 79 percent of those without disabilities.Over half of working-age people who are blind or visually impaired are not in the labor market, meaning they are not working and not seeking work, compared with fewer than a quarter of people without disabilities.A Quick Overview of Employment Statistics for People Who Are Blind or Visually ImpairedĪccording to the American Community Survey (ACS), the majority of working-age people who are blind or visually impaired are out of the labor force. Finally, we review the areas that merit further study. ![]() for people who are blind or visually impaired and the current barriers to upward mobility, as well as the factors that lead to success. The following key takeaways provide insights into the larger picture of employment in the U.S. As part of AFB’s commitment to changing the way employers see job seekers and employees who are blind or have low vision, AFB's Public Policy and Research Center conducted a literature review on employment and workers with disabilities.
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