Utah becomes 3rd in nation for hiring people with disabilities

While a trend toward hiring the disabled grows nationwide, Utah is outperforming most states in the effort. According a new report by the nonpartisan advocacy group RespectAbility, the Beehive State now ranks third in the nation for employment of people with disabilities.

According to the newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, Utah currently has an employment rate of 47 percent for its citizens with disabilities. Out of 150,964 working-age (18-64) Utahns with disabilities, 74,754 have jobs, the report says.

The Utah Department of Workforce Services and the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR) have been at forefront of efforts to expand job opportunities and offer training for people with barriers to employment. Last October, to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, USOR hosted a variety of events for job seekers with disabilities, community providers and employers looking to hire the best workers possible.

The outcome of such work has been clear, RespectAbility said. In the past year, Utah has risen in its state ranking, jumping from seventh in the nation to third. In that period of time, the employment rate for Utahns with disabilities has risen from 47 percent to 49.5 percent. That puts the Beehive State close behind North Dakota and South Dakota. It also means that Utah vastly outperforms other, bigger states like California, New York and Texas.

“Our nation was founded on the principle that anyone who works hard should be able to get ahead in life,” said Steve Bartlett, chairman of Respectability, who co-authored the Americans with Disabilities Act when he was in Congress. “People with disabilities deserve the opportunity to earn an income and achieve independence, just like anyone else.”

The RespectAbility study explored how the workforce is changing for people with disabilities nationwide. According to Vincenzo Piscopo of the Coca-Cola Co., “People with disabilities bring a unique skill set that it is very valuable for companies. As it relates to employment and competitiveness in the workplace, we have to stop thinking of disability as a liability and start thinking of it as an asset.”

The report found that brand-name companies such as JP Morgan Chase, Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, IBM, Walgreen’s, Starbucks, CVS and Microsoft show people with disabilities are successful employees. These companies also know that these workers improve the bottom line. “People with disabilities bring unique characteristics and talents to the workplace,” said RespectAbility president Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi. “Hiring people with disabilities is a win-win-win for employers, people with disabilities and consumers alike.”