Reasons for Not Working During the Coronavirus Pandemic Among Working-Age Persons With and Without Disabilities in the US

Abstract

ObjectiveTo provide new information about the reasons why persons with and without disabilities were not working during the coronavirus pandemic. DesignSecondary analysis of the Household Pulse Survey conducted between April 14, 2021, and May 9, 2022. SettingThe United States. Participants876,865 people with and without disabilities aged 18-64 years (N=876,865). InterventionN/A. Main Outcome MeasuresReasons for not working such as “Sick with coronavirus symptoms or caring for someone who was sick with coronavirus symptoms”, “Concerned about getting or spreading the coronavirus”, “Sick (not coronavirus related) or disabled”, “Laid off or furloughed due to coronavirus pandemic”, “Employer closed temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic”, “Caring for children not in school or daycare”, “Caring for an elderly person”, “Retired”, “Did not have transportation to work”, and “other” reasons. ResultsThe number of people with disabilities and people without disabilities in the sample was 82,703 and 794,162, respectively. People with disabilities were more likely to report that they were laid off or furloughed and less likely to report that they did not want employment than people without disabilities. Working-age adults with disabilities were more likely to report health or disability reasons not related to coronavirus than working-age adults without disabilities as a reason for not working. Caring for children not in school or daycare was 1 of the most cited reasons for both people with and without disabilities. Women, among both the groups, were more likely to not work primarily due to caregiving responsibilities. People with disabilities were more likely to report getting or spreading the coronavirus and less likely to report being retired as a reason for not working than people without disabilities. ConclusionAnalyzing reasons why people with disabilities were not working during the pandemic is crucial for successful employment policymaking in a post-pandemic world.