Identifying Barriers, Creating Opportunities
Poverty is disproportionately affecting people with disabilities who are more likely to be unemployed, work in low-paying industries, and earn significantly less than their non-disabled counterparts, according to a new report, “Employment of People with Disabilities: Identifying Barriers and Creating Opportunities.”
The challenges for Rochester are significant and will require community-wide commitment to bring change, according to the authors of the new report. The document is the product of collaboration involving the City of Rochester, the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) and The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities.
According to U.S. Census data, more than 34,000 Rochester residents have at least one disability, and the poverty rate for this population is 42.1 percent -- 9.2 points higher than those with no disability.
The report looks at the employment challenges for people with disabilities, such as mobility issues, intellectual and developmental conditions, and vision or hearing loss. Among the findings:
• The employment rate for people with disabilities is almost three times lower than for the general workforce in Rochester.
• People with disabilities are over-represented in the city’s lowest-paying industries and earn significantly less than the general workforce.
• Educational attainment is lower among disabled individuals.
Read the full report here>>