Employment Barriers Experienced at Different Job Acquisition Stages by People With and Without Disabilities

Employment barriers experienced by people with disabilities are well-documented by researchers. A closer look at the nature of these barriers at different stages of the job acquisition process may help to understand and address current challenges.

To understand how employment barriers differ for job seekers with and without disabilities; the impact of disability type; and are job acquisition barriers most salient, when looking for, applying to, or accepting a position.

3,021 working-age adults (including 1,491 adults with disabilities) from a Qualtrics opt-in panel completed an online survey about employment status, job search barriers, and demographic factors (including disability). Logistic regression predicted odds of experiencing a job search barrier based on disability and other sociodemographic factors.

Most job seekers reported barriers to employment, with disability being the strongest predictor. While the types of barriers experienced at all stages of the job search were similar for people with and without disabilities, people with disabilities experienced barriers significantly more often.

Employment barriers among people with and without disabilities are similar in nature but vary by degree. Improvements in transportation and better alignment between education, training, and the job market may benefit all job seekers.