Predictors of job tenure for new hires with mental retardation

This study describes job tenure and wages for people with mental retardation and factors affecting movement from noncompetitive jobs to competitive jobs. In South Carolina 10,169 individuals with mental retardation (MR) were served by the state disability agency and 22.7% were employed during 1997-2000. Each year, during that period, 68% sustained their job for over 1 year. For the 474 new hires in 1997, the job responsibilities associated with at least 80% of the group having 3 years of job tenure were manufacturing/assembly, janitorial, dishwasher, lawn maintenance, grocery bagger, and restaurant host/store. The substantial majority of individuals who worked at least 3 years were employed by companies engaged in food service (28%), manufacturing (18%), disability services (15%), groceries (10%), and retail (5%). In the general population, as reported by the Department of Labor, employment tenure was 1.5 years for food service to 2.7 years for cleaning and building services. In our group with mental retardation employment tenure was 2.2 years for food service to 2.3 years for cleaning and janitorial services.