Based on data from today’s BLS Jobs Report and separate nTIDE analysis, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) decreased from 38.4 percent in January 2026 to 38.1 percent in February 2026 (down 0.8 percent, or 0.3 percentage points). For people without disabilities (ages 16-64), the employment-to-population ratio remained the same at 74.5 percent in both January and February 2026. The employment-to-population ratio, a key indicator, is the percentage of people who are working relative to the total population (the number of people working divided by the total population, then multiplied by 100).
Month-to-Month nTIDE Numbers (comparing January 2026 to February 2026)
“The February 2026 employment-to-population ratio (38.1%) did not continue the upward trend seen in the previous three months (November, 39.8%; December 38.9%; and January, 38.4%),” remarked John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. “This is disappointing because we hoped this month’s numbers would continue to show people with disabilities breaking out of the post-COVID plateau. In addition, with the conflict in Iran, we may see temporary layoffs that further decrease the employment of both people with and without disabilities,” he added.
Similarly, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities decreased from 42 percent in January 2026 to 41.8 percent in February 2026 (down 0.5 percent or 0.2 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate increased from 78 percent in January 2026 to 78.1 percent in February 2026 (up 0.1 percent or 0.1 percentage points). The labor force participation rate reflects the percentage of people who are in the labor force (working, on temporary layoff, on furlough, or actively looking for work in the last four weeks) relative to the total population (the number of people in the labor force divided by the number of people in the total population multiplied by 100).
“The labor force participation rate followed a similar pattern to the employment-to-population ratio, slowing over the last two months,” said Andrew Houtenville, PhD, professor of economics and director of the UNH-IOD. “In the past, when prices increased, the labor force participation rate of people with disabilities increased, as families struggled with affording basic needs. It is an ‘all hands-on-deck situation,’ especially since people with disabilities are nearly three times more likely to live below the poverty line,” he added.
Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (comparing February 2025 to February 2026)
Compared with the same time last year, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities increased from 37.1 percent in February 2025 to 38.1 percent in February 2026 (up 2.7 percent or 1 percentage points). For people without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio increased slightly from 74.4 percent in February 2025 to 74.5 percent in February 2026 (up 0.1 percent or 0.1 percentage points).
The labor force participation rate for people with disabilities increased from 40.8 percent in February 2025 to 41.8 percent in February 2026 (up 2.5 percent or 1 percentage point). For people without disabilities, the labor force participation rate also increased from 77.8 percent in February 2025 to 78.1 percent in February 2026 (up 0.4 percent or 0.3 percentage points).
In February, among workers ages 16-64, the 6,590,000 workers with disabilities represented 4.4 percent of the total 150,447,000 workers in the U.S.
Ask Questions about Disability and Employment
On the same day nTIDE is issued, the team hosts an nTIDE Lunch & Learn webinar. This live Zoom broadcast gives attendees a chance to ask questions about the latest findings, hear news and updates from the field, and learn from invited panelists who discuss current disability-related research and events.
On March 6, 2026, guest presenter Helen M. Genova, PhD, associate director of the Center for Autism Research at Kessler Foundation, joins Drs. O’Neill, Houtenville, and Shoshana Marin, public policy fellow at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Visit the nTIDE archives at ResearchonDisability.org/nTIDE to see a recording of this nTIDE Lunch & Learn episode.
About National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE)
nTIDE is a joint effort of Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. The nTIDE team tracks employment trends for people with and without disabilities, issuing monthly reports that reflect the impact of economic changes on the workforce. These reports use data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics but are customized by UNH-IOD to focus on working-age adults (ages 16 to 64). nTIDE is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR; 90RTGE0005) and Kessler Foundation.
About the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire
The Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire expands access and opportunity for people with disabilities in ways that strengthen communities locally and nationally. As part of a Carnegie Classification R1 university, the IOD accelerates disability inclusion through research, education, and collaboration. Its Center for Research on Disability delivers trusted analysis and tools that make disability data more accessible and actionable. For more information, visit researchondisability.org.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, founded in 1985, is a New Jersey-based nonprofit and global leader in rehabilitation research committed to changing the lives of people with disabilities. By conducting groundbreaking research, Kessler Foundation advances recovery and fosters independence to build a more inclusive and accessible world.
Our team of award-winning scientists develop and test novel interventions to transform care and optimize mobility, cognition, and quality of life for people with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neurological and developmental disabilities. By analyzing community and workforce participation, developing evidence-based solutions, and funding impactful community initiatives that expand employment opportunities, Kessler Foundation also addresses barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities.
Powered by a dedicated team of over 175 professionals funded by federal and state grants and private philanthropy, Kessler Foundation is redefining what is possible in rehabilitation care and recovery. For more information, visit kesslerfoundation.org.
Press Contact at Kessler Foundation:
Carmen Cusido, ccusido@kesslerfoundation.org
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