National Beneficiary Survey: Disability Statistics, 2015

Job Characteristics of Employed Beneficiaries

Table 27. Job characteristics of beneficiaries employed at interview, by program (in percent)
Characteristic All beneficiaries DI-only beneficiaries Concurrent program beneficiaries SSI-only beneficiaries
Number (unweighted) 445 179 105 161
Number (weighted) 1,064,064 632,393 171,869 259,803
Percentage (weighted) 8.3 8.6 8.8 7.2
Usual hours per week
1–10 27.1 28.3 31.6 21.1
11–20 39.1 42.8 35.5 32.3
21–34 22.8 20.0 24.8 28.2
35 or more 11.1 8.9 8.2 18.4
Average (hours) 18.7 17.8 17.9 21.5
Hourly wage
Less than $5.00 11.8 8.0 21.7 14.3
$5.00–$7.24 5.0 5.7 4.0 3.8
$7.25–$9.99 37.1 36.5 42.4 35.1
$10.00–$14.99 34.5 36.4 25.5 35.9
$15.00 or more 11.7 13.4 6.4 10.9
Average ($) 10.08 10.58 8.63 9.83
Average monthly pay ($) 819.25 833.20 624.21 914.29
Earning above substantial gainful activity level ($1,090 or more per month) 18.0 14.1 17.2 28.2
Occupation
Transportation and material moving 8.6 9.9 6.0 7.1
Production 2.9 1.1 3.6 6.9
Office and administrative support 20.8 25.0 11.1 16.8
Building and grounds cleaning or maintenance 11.8 8.7 14.1 17.8
Personal care and service 6.5 9.1 2.1 3.2
Sales 8.3 11.0 5.3 3.7
Food preparation or serving 9.9 6.1 13.1 16.9
Education, training, community, and social services 5.5 6.1 7.7 2.8
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media 1.4 (X) (X) (X)
Health care practitioners, tech, and support 2.6 2.6 3.7 1.8
Protective service 0.9 (X) (X) 1.4
Installation, maintenance, and repair 2.3 0.8 8.0 2.0
Management, business, and legal 4.0 4.6 0.0 5.2
Professional scientific 0.5 (X) (X) 0.0
Agriculture, forestry, construction, and extraction 2.1 2.2 3.3 (X)
Other 12.1 9.5 20.4 12.9
Industry
Health care 6.8 7.3 4.9 7.0
Social assistance 34.3 32.3 37.8 36.8
Retail 15.5 20.3 10.0 7.5
Other services and public administration 8.2 6.8 9.6 (X)
Educational services 7.1 7.2 11.3 4.0
Accommodation and food services 5.0 2.7 8.5 8.1
Finance and insurance 4.2 6.8 (X) (X)
Administration, support, and waste management/remediation services 2.4 2.4 (X) 3.4
Other 16.5 14.2 16.9 21.8
Self-employed 17.4 20.3 15.8 11.3
Working in sheltered employment
Yes 24.8 21.3 34.5 26.9
No 61.3 59.5 60.2 66.3
Unknown 13.9 19.2 5.3 6.8
Months at current job
Less than 1 2.6 1.6 6.1 2.9
1–6 15.7 10.0 23.5 24.7
7–12 12.6 14.9 7.0 10.7
13–24 15.7 16.7 11.8 15.8
25 or more 37.3 43.3 28.4 28.7
Unknown 16.0 13.6 23.3 17.1
Median (months) 20.0 25.0 15.0 15.0
NOTES: For beneficiaries who held multiple jobs at the time of the interview (5 percent), the characteristics reported are those of the main job, as designated by the respondent.
(X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.
Table 28. Job characteristics of beneficiaries employed at interview, by age (in percent)
Characteristic All beneficiaries Under 30 30–49 50 or older
Number (unweighted) 445 176 210 59
Number (weighted) 1,064,064 207,036 321,598 535,431
Percentage (weighted) 8.3 17.1 9.5 6.5
Usual hours per week
1–10 27.1 21.3 21.6 32.6
11–20 39.1 32.4 35.9 43.5
21–34 22.8 26.5 25.5 (X)
35 or more 11.1 19.7 17.0 (X)
Average (hours) 18.7 21.9 21.4 15.9
Hourly wage
Less than $5.00 11.8 14.0 12.2 (X)
$5.00–$7.24 5.0 4.7 6.1 (X)
$7.25–$9.99 37.1 48.9 44.0 28.4
$10.00–$14.99 34.5 28.6 26.9 41.4
$15.00 or more 11.7 3.9 10.8 15.2
Average ($) 10.08 8.60 10.24 10.57
Average monthly pay ($) 819.25 861.13 980.80 706.02
Earning above substantial gainful activity level ($1,090 or more per month) 18.0 28.5 24.4 10.2
Occupation
Transportation and material moving 8.6 9.0 9.9 7.5
Production 2.9 9.2 2.7 (X)
Office and administrative support 20.8 14.7 16.8 25.4
Building and grounds cleaning or maintenance 11.8 13.9 14.5 9.4
Personal care and service 6.5 2.4 4.4 9.4
Sales 8.3 4.8 9.0 9.2
Food preparation or serving 9.9 18.8 12.3 5.0
Education, training, community, and social services 5.5 3.0 4.8 7.0
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media 1.4 (X) (X) (X)
Health care practitioners, tech, and support 2.6 3.1 1.8 2.8
Protective service 0.9 1.7 2.0 0.0
Installation, maintenance, and repair 2.3 2.6 2.2 (X)
Management, business, and legal 4.0 (X) 1.2 7.0
Professional scientific 0.5 (X) (X) 0.0
Agriculture, forestry, construction, and extraction 2.1 2.0 2.1 (X)
Other 12.1 13.3 14.7 10.0
Industry
Health care 6.8 (X) 4.4 9.9
Social assistance 34.3 36.2 40.7 29.7
Retail 15.5 12.7 12.8 18.2
Other services and public administration 8.2 4.9 5.1 11.4
Educational services 7.1 5.1 5.4 8.9
Accommodation and food services 5.0 12.9 8.1 (X)
Finance and insurance 4.2 (X) (X) 7.6
Administration, support, and waste management/remediation services 2.4 4.1 (X) (X)
Other 16.5 20.4 18.3 13.9
Self-employed 17.4 4.8 7.7 28.0
Working in sheltered employment
Yes 24.8 30.3 32.3 18.1
No 61.3 59.9 59.9 62.7
Unknown 13.9 9.8 7.7 19.2
Months at current job
Less than 1 2.6 4.3 3.2 (X)
1–6 15.7 33.8 19.2 (X)
7–12 12.6 16.4 14.3 10.1
13–24 15.7 12.4 12.1 19.1
25 or more 37.3 24.4 41.2 40.0
Unknown 16.0 8.8 10.0 22.4
Median (months) 20.0 9.0 19.0 27.0
NOTES: For beneficiaries who held multiple jobs at the time of the interview (5 percent), the characteristics reported are those of the main job, as designated by the respondent.
(X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.
Table 29. Employer-provided benefits for beneficiaries employed at interview, by program (in percent)
Benefit All beneficiaries DI-only beneficiaries Concurrent program beneficiaries SSI-only beneficiaries
Number (unweighted) 402 157 93 152
Number (weighted) 878,032 502,874 144,698 230,461
Percentage (weighted) 6.8 6.8 7.4 6.4
Health insurance 21.6 23.8 15.7 20.7
Dental insurance 16.2 18.3 11.1 14.7
Flexible health or dependent care spending account 5.5 6.4 4.9 3.8
Sick days with pay 18.5 17.7 22.0 17.9
Paid vacation 27.1 29.4 22.4 25.0
Long-term disability benefits 8.1 8.2 6.5 8.7
Pension or retirement benefits 23.1 28.3 18.7 14.6
Transportation allowance or discounts 13.7 8.2 25.2 18.5
NOTES: For beneficiaries who held multiple jobs at the time of the interview (5 percent), the characteristics reported are those of the main job, as designated by the respondent.
Multiple responses possible. Excludes self-employed beneficiaries.
Table 30. Job accommodations and supports for beneficiaries employed at interview, by program (in percent)
Accommodation or support All beneficiaries DI-only beneficiaries Concurrent program beneficiaries SSI-only beneficiaries
  All employed beneficiaries
Number (unweighted) 445 179 105 161
Number (weighted) 1,064,064 632,393 171,869 259,803
Percentage (weighted) 8.3 8.6 8.8 7.2
Employer made at least one accommodation a 56.2 57.1 59.5 52.1
Uses special equipment 24.9 30.8 18.3 15.2
Uses personal assistance 18.5 15.6 23.2 22.5
Changes to workplace needed 4.1 4.4 3.3 3.9
  Employed beneficiaries who receive at least one accomodation a,b
Assistance from co-worker or other person 72.9 66.5 88.9 76.7
Work schedule changes 49.8 55.4 53.4 33.6
Work task changes 50.1 54.8 53.2 36.7
Physical work environment alterations 37.1 38.2 46.4 28.0
Special equipment 11.8 14.2 8.7 8.3
Other accomodation 8.5 4.1 19.9 (X)
  Employed beneficiaries who report using special equipment b
Cane, brace, wheelchair, or walker 77.4 77.1 83.6 73.9
Modified computer hardware or software 3.6 3.5 (X) (X)
Other equipment 32.8 35.1 20.9 31.4
  Employed beneficiaries who report using personal assistance b
Job coach 66.2 60.3 68.5 74.6
Personal care assistance 21.2 22.4 19.3 20.5
Sign-language interpreter or reader for blind 7.4 9.6 (X) 7.5
Other personal assistance 12.1 14.6 12.3 7.8
NOTE: (X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.
a. Excludes self-employed beneficiaries.
b. Multiple responses possible.
Table 31. Job satisfaction among nonproxy respondents employed at interview, by program (in percent)
Satisfaction measure All beneficiaries DI-only beneficiaries Concurrent program beneficiaries SSI-only beneficiaries
Number (unweighted) 303 145 67 91
Number (weighted) 810,224 530,571 111,335 168,319
Percentage (weighted) 6.3 7.2 5.7 4.7
Satisfied or somewhat satisfied with job overall 85.2 86.3 76.2 87.9
Agree or strongly agree that—
Pay is good 66.0 62.6 64.9 77.5
Benefits are good 35.2 33.9 32.8 41.0
Job security is good or work is steady 74.2 77.8 56.3 74.5
There are chances for promotion a 31.4 28.1 33.6 39.4
There are chances to develop abilities 60.2 57.9 75.4 57.8
Recognition or respect is received 88.7 90.6 88.2 82.8
Can work on own if desired 79.0 80.2 82.1 72.9
Can work with others or team if desired 66.7 61.5 63.7 85.1
Work is interesting or enjoyable 85.1 85.4 84.1 85.0
Work gives feeling of accomplishment 86.5 85.4 85.9 90.1
Supervisor is supportive a 81.0 87.0 64.2 74.0
Co-workers are friendly and supportive 77.4 77.3 75.4 79.1
NOTE: Over 60 percent of beneficiaries working in a sheltered workshop had proxies so responses may not fully reflect the job satisfaction of those in sheltered workshops.
a. Excludes self-employed beneficiaries.
Table 32. Employed beneficiaries' job characteristics, by selected subgroup
Characteristic Average weekly hours Average hourly earnings ($) Earning above substantial gainful activity level (%) Working in sheltered employment (%) Employer made one or more accommodations a (%)
All employed beneficiaries 18.7 10.08 18.0 24.8 56.2
General health
Excellent or very good 20.0 8.77 17.3 42.0 63.8
Good or fair 18.6 10.19 19.7 24.1 50.9
Poor or very poor 17.0 11.76 14.0 (X) 60.4
Education level
Less than high school 18.3 9.44 14.4 44.5 70.5
High school diploma or GED 18.6 9.00 15.5 30.2 54.3
More than high school 19.2 12.62 25.3 2.4 49.3
Self-reported condition causing limitation
Intellectual disability 15.3 6.70 2.7 65.7 66.4
Sensory disorder 20.6 8.09 21.1 45.1 65.1
Mental illness 17.0 11.47 12.9 17.0 53.9
Musculoskeletal disorder 16.8 11.43 12.9 9.8 60.1
Circulatory system disorder 18.4 10.70 13.2 16.6 70.1
Age at disability onset
Under 18 19.3 8.18 20.1 46.8 59.0
18–24 22.0 10.14 25.7 15.7 70.3
25–39 21.1 13.86 26.5 6.6 32.9
40–54 15.7 10.93 9.8 10.5 62.7
55 or older 14.9 9.14 0.0 0.0 (X)
Difficulty with—
Getting along with others 15.9 10.30 11.3 28.9 65.5
Concentrating 17.4 10.17 16.0 28.0 64.8
Coping with stress 17.1 9.67 11.3 28.3 64.0
Bathing or dressing 15.9 9.06 2.6 20.8 69.8
Getting around outside the home 15.5 8.41 11.5 45.5 71.3
NOTES: GED = General Educational Development certificate; (X) = suppressed to avoid disclosing information about particular individuals.
a. Excludes self-employed beneficiaries.