| Background: |
Work is a central and necessary component to the formation of identity. It is a defining process that shapes individuals’ perceptions of themselves, their relationships with others, and their integration in society (Strauser, 2020; Wehman, Taylor, Brooke, Avellone, et al., 2018). However, not all have equal access to the academic training, networks, and social capital necessary to participate in the workforce and experience dramatic limits in their opportunities to engage in the workforce. Persons with disabilities have disproportionally lower labor force participation rates relative to those without disabilities. Further, the labor force participation disparity is even greater among those with the most significant disabilities and traditionally underserved populations (U.S. Department of Labor [USDOL], 2019a). In 2019, approximately 80% of persons with disabilities remained outside the labor force compared with 30% of people without a disability and the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities was more than double the rate of those without a disability (USDOL, 2019b). This employment gap has widened over the last decade, despite increasing national employment rates (Houtenville & Boege, 2019). |
