24
Saw a stat about SSDI and employment that floored me
I was reading through a report from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund and found out that only about 20% of people on SSDI are actually employed. That number felt way lower than I thought, especially with all the talk about workplace accommodations. Has anyone else seen data that made you rethink how bad the employment gap really is?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
davidwright4d ago
The real kicker is that a lot of people on SSDI want to work but the system basically punishes you for trying. You have to walk this super tight line with your earnings or they'll cut your benefits before you've even proven you can hold the job down. Most accommodations I've seen are just lip service, like "we have a flexible schedule" but then they expect you to answer emails at 10pm. The truth is the employment gap is so bad because the safety net is designed to trap people, not help them get out.
8
smith.blair4d ago
My buddy Mark lost his housing after trying a part-time job for just three months.
4
fionaa354d ago
Totally agree with you David. It's like the system sets you up to fail on purpose. You want to try something and get back on your feet, but every step forward feels like there's a trap door waiting. That part about accommodations being lip service hits hard, flexible schedules that really mean you're on call 24/7 isn't flexibility at all. So frustrating to see good people stuck like this.
1