The latest news on disability employment, workplace inclusion, and accessibility from around the world.
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The National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Jobs Report shows that employment for working-age Americans with disabilities held near record levels in October 2026, with an employment-to-population ratio of 39.9 percent. Researchers suggest the sustained high employment may reflect more disabled people entering the labor market as families cope with inflation.
The UK work and pensions secretary visited Denmark to learn from its 'Fleksjobs' scheme, which provides subsidised part-time employment with dedicated support for people with reduced work capacity, achieving a disability employment rate increase from 44% to 61% since 2012. The UK government is considering similar approaches as disability-related unemployment among young people has risen significantly, with 45.3% of NEETs now classified as disabled compared to 21% in 2014.
The UK Work and Pensions Secretary discusses how young people with mental health conditions and neurodiversity should be supported into employment rather than remaining on benefits, citing Denmark's Fleksjob scheme as a model that enables disabled workers to remain employed with reduced hours and adjustments. The Government plans to introduce new legislation next year in response to reviews on disability benefits reform and youth employment.
A former Amazon warehouse worker is suing the company for allegedly firing her after years of approved disability accommodations when her medical restrictions became permanent. The case raises questions about employer obligations under the ADA and FMLA when accommodating workers with chronic disabilities.
UK Department for Work and Pensions figures show disabled people have a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point employment gap that has worsened over the past year. The article analyzes whether this gap reflects actual barriers to employment or changes in how disability is defined in official statistics.
Seven in 10 working-age American caregivers balance paid employment with caring for loved ones with disabilities, chronic conditions or age-related needs, yet fewer than half inform their supervisors about these responsibilities. The Care Out Loud campaign is expanding support to address how caregiving affects employees' careers, financial security and wellbeing, highlighting caregiving as a workplace inclusion and retention issue.
The article examines how predictive algorithms in workers' compensation systems may overlook important human factors affecting injured workers' recovery and return to work, such as workplace support, job security concerns, and claims experience. Research shows that while statistical models have advantages, direct communication with injured workers can reveal circumstances—like supervisor contact, modified duty availability, and employer coordination—that significantly influence recovery outcomes but may not appear in claims data.
A Japanese study of 158 employed patients who underwent surgery for gastric or esophageal cancer found that 78.5% were working at 18 months post-surgery, with median return-to-work times of 30 days for gastric cancer and 70 days for esophageal cancer. The research identifies pain, appetite loss, financial impact, and weight loss at 6 months as significant barriers to sustained work participation, with implications for workplace accommodations and occupational health support.
Four Rivers Behavioral Health in Kentucky is participating in a Columbia University randomized controlled trial studying the effectiveness of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment services for autistic adults seeking competitive employment. The study will recruit 174 autistic adults across four Kentucky sites and track employment outcomes over 18 months to compare IPS services with standard vocational rehabilitation.
A scoping review of 41 studies found that occupational therapy is a standard component of multidisciplinary rehabilitation for functional neurological disorder, a condition affecting working-age adults, but profession-specific interventions and outcomes were inconsistently documented. The review highlights gaps in evidence regarding occupational therapy's independent contribution to rehabilitation outcomes for this disabling neurological condition.
The EEOC under new leadership may narrow the scope of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to exclude accommodations for abortion, fertility treatment, and other reproductive health conditions beyond pregnancy itself. The law, enacted in 2022 to protect pregnant workers' employment rights, could see its workplace accommodation requirements significantly reduced.
Government figures show spending on the UK's Access to Work scheme fell by nearly 7% in real terms from 2024-25 to 2025-26, while the number of recipients increased, resulting in a 12% drop in average payments per disabled worker. The Department for Work and Pensions attributes the apparent cut to accounting timing differences, but disabled campaigners report ongoing concerns about reduced support budgets and delays affecting disabled workers' ability to remain employed.
UK government disability employment figures show a 30 percentage point gap between disabled (53%) and non-disabled (82.4%) employment rates, with the annual figures revealing the gap actually increased from 26.8% to 28% year-on-year. Disability rights organizations call for a comprehensive national strategy including flexible job creation, adequate funding for support schemes, and employer accountability to close the persistent employment disadvantage faced by disabled people.
Riverside Industries Inc. appointed Markus Jones as president and CEO; the organization's mission is empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through employment, community engagement and personal growth. During Jones's interim leadership, RSI completed a $500,000 construction project to create a new space for its Production Department, a social enterprise that employs program participants with disabilities.
New federal Medicaid work requirements will affect nearly 2 million New Yorkers starting in 2027, with exemptions for students, the elderly, and the medically frail. The article details implementation timelines, documentation requirements, and how recipients can demonstrate compliance with the new work requirements.
The UK government's Earned Settlement policy will reduce rights for disabled migrants by imposing economic contribution requirements and restricting access to public funds including disability benefits and social care. The policy lacks clarity on exemptions for disabled people and will particularly harm disabled migrants unable to work and care workers who earn below the £25,000 threshold.
Disability Rights UK responds to a UK government consultation on extending equal pay protections to disabled people, highlighting that disabled workers face a 15.5% pay gap and calling for stronger enforcement mechanisms and proactive measures beyond the current proposals. The organization urges mandatory disability pay gap reporting, enhanced pay transparency throughout employment, and adequate resourcing of a new Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement Unit to tackle systemic pay discrimination.
The American Legion held its third Department Service Officer Symposium, training 62 veteran service officers from across the nation on navigating the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits system. The training, conducted by Bergmann & Moore law firm, focuses on helping veterans access disability compensation and benefits, with participants emphasizing how the evolving system requires continuous professional development to better serve veterans with disabilities.
The Milburn review recommends the UK government create and subsidize paid jobs for disabled young people through 'flexi-jobs', employment subsidies, and skills support to address high unemployment rates among disabled 16-24 year-olds. The review proposes adopting a Danish-style flexible employment scheme, job carving, and voluntary employer targets for hiring disabled youth, while suggesting disability benefit spending be redirected toward employment support.
Trillium Wellness, a residential mental health treatment facility in Tennessee, provides dedicated case management support to help clients navigate employment-related paperwork including FMLA, short-term disability claims, and employer communication during their stay. The article explains FMLA eligibility requirements and how the facility's case managers assist clients in maintaining job protection and managing work-related concerns while focusing on mental health treatment.
Trillium Wellness, a residential mental health treatment facility, provides dedicated case management support to help clients navigate work-related concerns during treatment, including FMLA paperwork, short-term disability claims, and employer communication. The article explains FMLA protections for employees with mental health conditions requiring inpatient care and describes how case managers assist clients in maintaining employment continuity while receiving residential mental health treatment.
Ardook, an Armenia-based social enterprise, creates flexible work-from-home employment for mothers caring for disabled children, addressing barriers these caregivers face in traditional employment. The organization has expanded to Georgia and aims to scale operations to provide sustainable income opportunities for women unable to participate in conventional jobs due to caregiving responsibilities.
The article explains Expedited Reinstatement (EXR), a Social Security Administration program that allows disabled workers whose SSDI or SSI benefits ended due to work earnings to restart benefits within five years without a new application if they can no longer work. The program provides provisional benefits including cash payments and Medicare/Medicaid coverage for up to six months while the SSA reviews the request.
The Arc of Northeast Pinal County, under new director Rosalie Gutierrez, serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through programs focused on skill development, social inclusion, and employment opportunities including work at a thrift store and yard-cleaning projects. The organization helps transition students from school to adulthood and coordinates with local school districts and the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Division of Developmental Disabilities.
The article explains the VA's Individual Unemployability program, which provides compensation to veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 60% or higher (or 70% combined with one condition at 40%+) who cannot maintain employment. Eligible veterans can receive up to $3,938.58 monthly by demonstrating their disabilities prevent them from working, separate from traditional unemployment insurance.
UK government statistics show 5.6 million disabled people were employed in April-June 2026, with a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point disability employment gap. The data reveals disabled people face higher rates of job loss, lower transition rates into employment, and are more likely to be underemployed or working in lower-skilled occupations.
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