In 1995, 75% of adult Americans with disabilities were unemployed (National Council on Disability, 1996).
When race is factored into the equation, the disparity is even greater. In 1992, the full-time employment rate for:
Whites with disabilities was 15.9%;
Hispanics with disabilities, 8.2%;
African Americans with disabilities, only 7.2%
(Braddock & Bachelder, 1994).

Of those aged 18-64, people with disabilities are much less likely to be employed (either full-time or part-time) than people without disabilities (32% versus 81% respectively). This gap of 49 percentage points is the largest of all the gaps, and may help to explain the persistence of other gaps in income, entertainment, and health care. The presence of a disability seems to be a major factor in determining these gaps in employment. Fully 43% of people with disabilities say they are completely unable to work due to their disability or health problem. Moreover, the more severe the disability, the less likely a person is to be employed.

People with slight disabilities are 8 times more likely to be employed than people with very severe disabilities (64% versus 8% respectively), but they are still less likely to be employed than people without disabilities.