This Point of View research report examines how workplace benefits can address the needs of all workers and their dependents. Disability intersects with multiple areas of employee benefits, including group insurance products, the needs of an aging work force, and personalized health and retirement planning. It also reflects broader work force trends, such as the rising prevalence of neurodiversity linked to mental health and substance use disorders, autism spectrum conditions, and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Figure 6 Figure 3 Percentage Point of Private o Indf View ustry Workers W on ith Disability Prevalence of Six Disabilities Among Employed Population The C The ove si rr oundt a x ge di sa for abi bl shor l ei tdi y sc t type -tuss erm s ea d di r e csa :ogni bilittiy ve i nsur impa anc irm e eha nts in ge tne her w alor ly kpl inca rc ee a,se not d w ing ith tha em t pl asoye ther U si.zS e., popul with ta he tion la ra ge ge st s, ftihe rm r sa tes Resources Access to Long-Term Disability Insurance Hearing Difficulty Vision Difficulty Cognitive Difficulty of (500 cogni or m tive ore de wcor line ke ra s) nd consi demse te nt nt ia l y a r ha e vi inc ng rea the sing. highe Ma sny t of ol fede r rra w teor s (ke Firgur s m ea 5) y not . Be se tw lf e-ein de 2010 ntify a and s ha 2024, ving c dove isabi ra lge itie s Dis ability Inclusion and Work Force Strategies Ambulatory Difficulty Self-Care Difficulty Independent Living Difficulty Employer Size Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council r due ose 1. tf o r om feH a r e 25 a of r i pe ng job rc di e los f nt fis, c to ul w 30 thi y c — pe h rc D cae e n nt alf e for a or d ha t to he vi pe s ng m rfor a se llm r eist ous anc em edi p iss f loye fiue cul s rs tty ha ahe nd t go afrriom ng. unnot 63i c pe ed rcun ent ti lt o si 69 gn ipe fic ra cnt ent c ha for nge the s loc arc ge ur st . . Bank of America: in the Workplace Fewer Than 50 Workers 50 –99 Workers 5,000,000 Empl M edium oye-rsi s zm ed ay or w ga ant ni z ta ot icons onsi ade lso r tsa he w se m code hallst enge gais ns, and ref m leacke ting appr an opr ove ia rt ae l la tc rc eom nd t m ow oda artd ions expa for nde od lde shor r em t-pl teoye rm es. Nurm • sen Cw ogni entt ion ve tio m di pa sc iruss me nt the in r e the pr ew se or nt kpl atia on ceof . individuals with disabilities in part-time roles, particularly in 100 –499 Workers 500 Workers or More 2. Vision difficulty — Blind or having serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses. May 8, 2025 di sability benefits across the private sector. industries like retail and manufacturing. Dr. Smith elaborated on the organization's efforts to create inclusive work 4,500,000 The 3. gr 70 oup % Cogni high tilve ight diefd fi c va ul rtiy ous —w Bor ec kp ause lac e of be ane phys fits ia ci am l, e m d ea nt t a sup l, o por r et m ing ot iol ona delr pr em obl ple o m ye , e ha s vi who ng di arf ef ide cul ve ty lopi ng f N or at cie ona strla O ter gi ga es, ni z sha ation ring on he D r ipe sabi rsona lity:l experiences with navigating employee benefits due to her cystic fibrosis. She 63% remembering, concentrating, or making decisions. c ognitive disabilities. Benefits that employers can offer to support employees living with dementia and their empha • siD zeid satbi he li t ne y e Inc d flor usi c on om B pa lue nipr esi nt to . u nderstand their work forces’ disability status to tailor appropriate benefits. 4,000,000 Estimating Disability Prevalence caregivers include medical insurance, long-term care insurance, and paid family leave. These measures not only • Resource Library. 60% 4. Ambulatory difficulty — Having serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. 61% a ssist employees but also contribute to creating dementia-friendly workplaces and communities. Fostering 3,500,000 Ac cessibility to Disability Benefits According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, 44.7 million Americans of 5. Self-care difficulty — Having difficulty bathing or dressing. collaboration between younger and older workers through mutual mentoring and promoting inclusivity via Disability:IN: all ages, or 13.6 percent of the entire population, have a disability. The American Community Survey, the Survey 50% employee resource groups (ERGs) were also discussed as actions that can be taken to help achieve this. The need 3,000,000 46% Empl • 6. oye R Inde re -spons sour pende ce or Libr e nt d ldi ia vi sa ry ng bi . ldi ity ff ibe cul ne ty f i— ts pr Bovi ecade use f iof na nc a phys ial pr ic ot ae l,c m tion entfa or l, or em e p m loye otio ena s w l ho probl are e m una , ha blv ei ng to w dior ffk ic du ulte y to of Income and Program Participation, and the Current Population Survey use a six-item set of questions to gauge for flexible retirement plans was also highlighted, in addition to tailored benefits that cater to the unique needs of illne • ss or D doi iinj sa ng ur bi y, e lirt ry e a nsur nds Inde iang x lone . inc suc omh e a st s avi bisi littiy n g dur a idoc ng t cor ha ’lsl e of ngi fic ng e or tim shoppi es. The ng se . benefits also enhance employee disability. Survey respondents may select multiple types of disabilities within the survey. 2,500,000 di fferent gene 38% rations. 40% morale and retention by demonstrating the organization's commitment to their well-being. Figure 5 From 2010 to 2014, the percentage of employed people with disabilities hovered around 4.8 percent to 5.1 Percentage of Private Industry Workers With Disability prevalence is minimal in early childhood — just 1 percent for both males and females under five — and 2,000,000 30% Understanding Disability Inclusion and Its Impact on Business 29% A pecrc cor ent di , ng thetn o be the ga B n ur ae gr au adua of La l cbor lim b S t(a F ti is gur tice s’ 2) N.a B tiy ona 202 l C 3, om it pe rea nsa che tid on 6. S 8ur pe ve rc ye,nt about , ind ifcour ating in a 10 gr w ow orike ng rs have Endnotes Access to Short-Term Disability Insurance gradua 30 ll % y increases through adolescence and mid-adulthood (Figure 1). By ages 65–74, about one in four adults r ae cpr cee ss se tnt o altong ion -of ter i m ndi and vidua shor ls tw -te itrh md d isa isa bi bi liltiite y s iinsur n the a nc we o. rk B f eor tw ce ee ove n 2014 r thi a s nd per 2024 iod, ,s om the epe thi rng cent tha age t m of a y wbe or ke cor rs re w la itth ed 1,500,000 has a disability (25 percent for men and 23 percent for women). After 75, the prevalence jumps sharply, affecting 22% 1 Employer Size The group discussed the significant costs associated with presenteeism (when employees are at work, but with 1 w acic th ess an to agi bot ng h w long ork- tfe or rm ce .and short-term disability insurance increased in the civilian, private industry, and See Figure 11 20% in Copeland, Craig, and Kyle Bedu, “Trends in Labor Force Participation and Employment of Americans nearly half of both men (45 percent) and women (46 percent). Fewer Than 50 Workers 50 –99 Workers reduce 20 d %productivity due to distractions), which can be up to 10 times higher than absenteeism (when employees 1,000,000 A stge ate s/ 16 loc or al O gove lderr ,” nm EB eR nt I se Issc ue tor B sr i(e F fi , gur no. e6 15 4). (E Cm ivi pl lioaye n e a c B cee ne ssfi tto R le ong searc -te h rIns m c tiove tuter , a A ge ugus rose t 15 fr , om 2024) 34 . A pe va rc il eant bl e t o a t38 500 Workers or More 100 –499 Workers are not at work), according to a study by the Global Corporate Challenge. https://www.ebri.org/retirement/publications/issue-briefs/content/trends-in-labor-force-participation-and-employment-of- percent, while access to short-term coverage climbed from 37 percent to 43 percent. Similarly, private industry 80% 500,000 americans-ages-16-or-older. a nd government employees saw higher coverage rates, though state and local workers still had notably lower 10% P ulsifer discussed the importance of the Enable ERG at his organization, which focuses on disability inclusion. 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Figure 2 a ccess to short-term disability insurance compared with private industry. For comparison, the EBRI/Greenwald 2 69% 0 See Employee Benefit Research Institute/Greenwald Research, “2024 EBRI/Greenwald Workplace Wellness Survey He explained that ERGs evolve from providing a sense of belonging to developing business skills and ultimately Percentage of Employed Population With a Disability R esea 70 rc %h 2024 Workplace Wellness Survey found that 60 percent of workers have access to short-term disability Note: The estimates are not considered a time series, as the sample is partially rotated each year and sample weights are updated for the reference 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 Summary Report,” October 15, 2024. Available at https://www.ebri.org/content/2024-workplace-wellness-survey. 2 enhancing c pust eriodom base edr o unde n the Curre rstna t ndi Emplng oym.e n Th t Sta is tistis chi s. ft allows organizations to better serve existing markets and reach new 8% i nsurance, whi 62% le 54 percent have access to long-term disability insurance. Figure 1 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey. Note: Sample consists of the employed civilian noninstitutionalized population ages 18 –64. Respondents could select more than one disability. ones. 60% Source: U.S. CensusPr Bure ev au, alence 2023 America of n Com Disability munity Survey. by Age, All Civilians, 2023 55% 6.8% 7% Male Female The “Curb-Cut Effect ” and Disability Inclusion in Business 6.5% 50% 50% 46% Figure 4 In addition to these core group insurance benefits, the roundtable discussed the importance of an accessible 6.0% 46% Percentage of Workers With Access to Disability Insurance Benefits I be nc ne refa isi ts ng enr di ol sa lm bi elnt ity pr aw ocaerss ene ass nd itn he the ne w ce or sskp ity laof ce aecna com blem s oda tailor tions ed ,s uppor includi t ng for fe le m xi pl bl oye e w eor s a knd arr the ange ir fm am ent ili se . s, D r. 6% Pulsifer went on to explain the curb-cut effect, where disability accommodations lead to broader45% benefits for all 45% 40% 37% 50% S pr m ovi ith di di ng sctuss he e pot d te he nt ic arli ttio c a elnha impor ncet a enc mpl e oye of ae c c sa om tisf m aoda c2t0 i1 ot 4n, ions re 20 tw e 24 nt ithi ion n ,c a om nd pa prni oduc es, tiinc 5.4% viltudi y. ng accessible software and 36% users. He cited examples like touch screens and electric toothbrushes as innovations driven by the needs of 5.2% 5.2% 5.2% 5.1% 5.1% 5.0% f unding structures to support these needs. Additionally, she noted that flexible and remote work has become 45% individuals with disabilities. The demand for hiring people with disabilities has surged, particularly with the new 4.8% 4.8% 4.8% 40% 5% 45% 43% e EB sse R nt I iia s l m for ak a ing ll eong mploi oye nge e s,f fpa orr tt s ic to ule axa rly m ti ho nese how wit h w di orsa kp bi lalc ite i ebe s, ne asf i it t s ac lla ow n a sddr the em ss tto he m ne ana eds ge of com allpl w eor x l ke ife rs si atnd ua ttihe ons ir 30% opportunities opened up by remote work and accessibility measures since the COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, 40% de w hi pe le nde ma nt int s. aD in iisa ng bitlhe ityi ri nt job ers. se cts with multiple areas of employee benefits, including group insurance pr30% oducts, return-to-office policies may unintentionally signal to disabled workers that flexible arrangements are no longer 35% 39% 40% 26% 38% 4% 37% 37% the needs of an aging work force, and personalized health and retirement planning. It also reflects broader work an acc 20 e% pted option, which may undermine progress in workplace inclusion. f orce trends, suc 34% h as the rising prevalence of ne 34% urodiversity linked to mental hea 34% lth and substance use disorders, Disab 30il %ity Inclusion in Corporate Reporting 35% autism spectrum conditions, and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Conclusion 10 3% % 25% 25 30% % 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 23% Dr. Smith highlighted the significance of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in the EU, which 27% O ne such example of this effort was an exclusive virtual discussion hosted in fall 2024, in which disability experts standardizes corporate reporting on environmental, social, and governance issues. This directive requires The meeting Notc e: onc The e lude stimate d s w arei t nh ot ca o ndi sidsc ereuss d a tim ion e seri on es, atshe the i sm ampor ple ist a panc rtiae lly of rota te edm eabr ch a ye c air a ng nd t she amp lt ee wrem igh ts " di aresa upbi date lidt y" for th posi e refere tinve ce ly and the 25% 20% 2% 23% period based on the Current Employment Statistics. joined EBRI members for an in-depth virtual discussion on disability and its relationship with employee benefits. companies to evaluate their impact on people, particularly focusing on disability inclusion, and to disclose their ne ed for clear communication to alleviate stigma around self-identification. The group agreed that individuals 20 So10 urce: U.S. 20 Bu 11 reau of L 20 ab12 or Statisti20 cs13 , National 20 Com 14pensati20 on 15 Survey. 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 The special guests included Felicia M. Nurmsen, Chief Content & Development Officer at the National findings publicly. Unlike the voluntary self-identification in the United States, companies operating in the EU w ith disabilities can enhance experiences for everyone, reinforcing the need for workplace benefits that 20% 15% Note: Sample consists of the employed civilian noninstitutionalized population ages 18 –64. 13% Organization on Disability; Dr. Reid Jewett Smith, VP, Researc 12% h & Policy at Disability:IN; and Hale Pulsifer, VP must now actively consider and report on their disability-related policies and work force diversity. pr oactively address disability and aging through inclusive communication, accessible design, and tailored Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey. C ustomer Inclusion, Disability Community at Fidelity. 15% financial support. 10% 9% 9% 8% Self-Identification and Disability Inclusion 5% 10% Work Force Challenges Facing People With Disabilities 5% The Employee Benefit Research Institute is a private, nonpartisan, and nonprofit research institute based in 1% The Washi grngt oup on, di sc Dus .Cse ., 1% d tha how t foc to use efs fe on ct ihe vea ly lth, com sam viuni ngsc , a rteet itrhe em ie m nt por , and tanc ee c onom of disa icbi se lictur y se ity lfi-ss ide ue nt s.i fEB icaR tion I doe to s not lobby The data show a steady increase in the number of employed individuals reporting hearing, vision, cognitive, 5% 0% Nurmsen opened the discussion by addressing several challenges faced by people with disabilities in the a e and m mpl bul doe oye ats or enot s, y, pa se ta rlke tfi-cc ul po ara e lr,il c y ay nd in pos l ii nde ght ition pe of snde . po The nt tent lw iiv a or ilng k stof id gim fEB fa ic . R ul G Itu iie e s s st m be spe at de w a e ke pos en rs si 2010 not blee b d ay nd tha f undi 2023. t mn any g The f riom ndi la v irtige s dua m ste ljs m um w be ip trh s w di aand s saa bi m lon itie g s Ages Younger Than 5 Ages 5 –17 Ages 18 –34 Ages 35 –64 Ages 65 –74 Ages 75 or Older workplace, including employment disparities, wage gaps, and challenges with workplace accommodations. With t a spons hose re re lor w uc i s, tth a w nt ahi c to c ogni h se inc ltfi-ve liude de di nt f a iff ibr y cul due oa ty, d trro a i si nge fe ng ar of s frof om publ st a ig bout ic m a and or 1 .pr 86 ne i va ga mti te l ilve ior on ga c onse in ni 2010 za que tions. nc to e o F s ve or for r m 4. tor he 33 e i r m i nf ca ilor rle ion m ers. a it n iIon n 2023 ,a ddi visi . tt I i on n j,ust the 0% Long-term disability coverage among private industry workers has been consistently higher in larger firms, respect to Not the Cie v: ilSa u ian ne m : L pm lo eng cpl o- nT soym erm ists of e thnt e Ci c v ivr ilia ilan iatne : S ns, oh n ort- ip nse tiT opl tu erm tione al izw P erd ii v p tate h op u di Ind latisa o un s bi to rf ya : L lli l ton aige e gs s -. P fa riv cate e a Ind n uune stry: S m ho pl rt-oym Se tat nt e an ra dt Lo e c m alore tha State n t and wic Lo e cta ha l t of w l ea w de wr .e shi brp i.or com g. mitment plays a key role in creating a culture of safety and encouraging disclosure, but gaps in five-year period from 2019 to 2023, the prevalence of cognitive difficulties among the employed population Disability Insurance Disability Insurance Term Disability Term Disability Government: Long- Government: Short- Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 American Community Survey. remaining relatively stable from 61 percent in 2010 to 63 percent in 2024 for employers with 500 or more their non-disabled peers. Despite some improvements, the labor force participation rate for people with i vi nc sirbl eae se le d aby der57 ship pesuppor rcent. The t rem de aist n.i gm Dr.a S tim zaittih on c lof a In r s im f ui ra e e nd nt ceta ha l he t se alltfh -ii de In ss snt u ue rains fcie t cha atiton arose he Term l p fs rom Di or sga a b C ilni iO tyz V aI tD ions -19 Term unde m Di asy ar b st ha ility ave nd be wor en ka employees (Figure 6). During the same period, coverage for workers in businesse Ins suw ranc ith e fewer tha In n su50 ranc e employees disabilities remains significantly lower than for non-disabled individuals, especially among marginalized racial f f or acc tor e de in m the ogr ia nc phi rea csi s to ng tr ae ipor lor tbe s of ne fciogni ts actc ior vedi di ngl ffiy cul wtiite ho s. ut O tlhe inki r c ng ate igor t toi e es ligi also biligr tye f w or by se r doub vices. le digits over the five- Note: The estimates are not considered a time series, as the sample is partially rotated each year and sample weights are updated for the reference period increased modestly from 18 percent to 22 percent. Medium-sized organizations also experienced growth — most a nd ethnic groups. Regarding wage gaps, she noted that people with disabilities earn approximately 66 cents for year period, such as independent living difficulties (38 percent) and vision difficulties (29 percent), underscoring based on the Current Employment Statistics. notably, from 36 percent to 46 percent among those with 100–499 employees — indicating a gradual expansion Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey. every dollar earned by non-disabled workers. Nurmsen ### highl ighted that black women with disabilities are t he need for continued focus on workplace inclusion and accommodations. Addressing Cognitive Impairment and Aging in the Workplace of long-term disability coverage across employer sizes. particularly vulnerable, facing compounded disparities in wages and employment opportunities. © 2025, Employee Benefit Research Institute, 901 D St. SW, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20024, 202/659-0670 | ebri.org 5 4 2 7 3 6 8 Number of Individuals With Disability