Statistics, metrics, surveys and research studies support the fact that persons living with developmental disabilities and autism face far greater employment barriers when compared with other groups. Evidence of this is shared below.
- The unemployment rate of people with disabilities is five times higher than any other sector in Canada and throughout the world. (Toronto District School Board)
- Employment rates are the lowest (less than 40 percent) for those with developmental disabilities as compared to other disabilities. (Canadian Labour Congress)
- Employment rates of people with developmental disabilities are just over 25 percent when compared to those who do not have disabilities. Where effective measures encouraging labour market inclusion have been put in place, employment rates in integrated employment of people with disabilities are as high as 87 percent. People with disabilities want to work when given the opportunity. (Achieving Social and Economic Inclusion: from Segregation to Employment First, 2011)
- The labour force participation rates of persons living with developmental disabilities stands at 32 percent compared to 50 percent for all other disabilities. (Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, 2006)
- The highest unemployment rates reported were for people with symptoms associated with developmental disabilities. The average earnings of people living with developmental disabilities are $18,172 which is well below the poverty line in Ontario. Average earnings of those with a general disability are at $29,669 and for those without disabilities is $37,944. (Statistics Canada, as part of its Participation and Activity Limitation Survey PALS in 2006)
- Surveys and focus groups conducted by the Ontario Job Opportunity Information Network JOIN of small, medium and large corporate partners identified a serious gap in the knowledge base of companies hiring and working with people with developmental disabilities. Human Resource Departments point to this “fear of the unknown” as being a major barrier to hiring persons living with developmental disabilities by front line recruiters and hiring managers. (Ontario JOIN – partnering organization 2012)
- One in every five people in Canada currently lives with a disability—while in the world, 1.1 billion people live with a disability, making it the largest and fastest growing minority group.
- It is a fact that as we age, our probability of having a disability increases. 22.6 percent of 45 to 54 year olds have some form of disability; 44.9 percent of 65 to 69 year olds have some form of disability; and 73.6 percent of people over 80 have some form of disability.
- The American Association of People With Disabilities recently reported that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is twice the national average. During the recession, people with disabilities lost jobs five times faster than people without disabilities. In addition, only 25 percent of people with disabilities are meaningfully employed, while 75 percent are unemployed or underemployed. Contrary to popular belief, this in large part is not due to a lack of desire or capability to work.