National Beneficiary Survey: Disability Statistics, 2019

Employment Activity

Table 19. Employment, by program and employment status (in percent)
Activity All beneficiaries Program Beneficiaries employed at interview
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
Has ever worked for pay
Yes 76.0 83.7 68.0 63.8 100.0
No 23.8 16.1 31.9 35.9 . . .
Employed in 2018
Yes 13.1 12.4 17.4 12.4 91.4
No or unknown 86.9 87.6 82.6 87.6 8.6
Employed at interview
Yes 9.6 9.6 13.0 7.7 100.0
No 90.4 90.4 87.0 92.3 . . .
Did not seek work in past 4 weeks 84.5 86.0 77.0 85.2 . . .
Sought work in past 4 weeks 5.9 4.3 10.0 7.1 . . .
Number (unweighted) 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998 4,597
Number (weighted) 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145 1,212,138
NOTE: . . . = not applicable.
Table 20. Employment, by age (in percent)
Activity All beneficiaries Under 30 30–49 50 or older
Has ever worked for pay
Yes 76.0 47.2 77.5 79.3
No 23.8 52.0 22.3 20.5
Employed in 2018
Yes 13.1 24.2 18.5 9.5
No or unknown 86.9 75.9 81.5 90.5
Employed at interview
Yes 9.6 18.2 14.3 6.6
No 90.4 81.8 85.7 93.4
Did not seek work in past 4 weeks 84.5 67.9 78.8 88.9
Sought work in past 4 weeks 5.9 13.8 6.7 4.5
Number (unweighted) 9,092 1,885 4,292 2,915
Number (weighted) 12,666,165 1,129,444 3,183,724 8,352,997
 
Table 21. Employment rates at interview, by program and beneficiary subgroup (in percent)
Characteristic Overall Program
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
Age
18–24 18.4 21.7 27.8 16.9
25–39 17.8 22.2 19.5 14.1
40–54 10.7 12.2 15.4 5.2
55 or older 6.1 7.2 5.4 1.5
General health
Excellent or very good 28.0 29.0 42.6 19.3
Good or fair 10.2 11.1 11.6 7.5
Poor or very poor 3.7 4.1 1.9 3.4
Education level
Less than high school 6.0 8.5 5.9 3.8
High school diploma or GED 10.9 9.8 17.6 9.8
More than high school 10.5 10.0 14.1 11.0
Self-reported limiting condition
Intellectual disability 21.5 20.7 28.3 16.7
Sensory disorder 9.7 10.5 4.6 11.5
Psychiatric impairment 8.1 7.4 13.9 6.7
Musculoskeletal impairment 4.9 5.4 3.9 3.7
Circulatory system disease 4.1 4.4 4.3 3.0
Age at disability onset
Under 18 18.3 20.4 24.1 14.5
18–24 14.0 15.0 15.2 11.7
25–39 6.9 9.2 7.8 2.4
40–54 7.1 8.9 5.5 2.1
55 or older 3.8 4.1 3.3 0.4
Difficulty with—
Getting along with others 6.8 7.4 6.2 6.3
Concentrating 8.1 7.9 11.9 6.9
Coping with stress 6.6 6.8 8.4 5.4
Bathing or dressing 4.3 4.2 4.8 4.2
Getting around outside the home 7.8 7.7 9.2 7.4
Number (unweighted)
All beneficiaries 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998
Beneficiaries employed at interview 4,597 2,237 948 1,412
Number (weighted)
All beneficiaries 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145
Beneficiaries employed at interview 1,212,138 711,944 229,858 270,335
Beneficiaries employed at interview as a percentage of all beneficiaries (weighted) 9.6 9.6 13.0 7.7
NOTE: GED = General Educational Development certificate.
Table 22. Recently employed beneficiaries' employment activities, capacity, and supports, by program (in percent)
Activity, capacity, or support Overall Program
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
Worked fewer hours or earned less than was able
Yes 28.5 22.2 49.3 22.3
No 60.9 70.6 42.8 63
Unknown 10.6 7.2 7.9 14.7
If yes, reason for doing so a
Wanted to keep cash benefit 46.6 55.3 38.7 31.3
Wanted to keep Medicare or Medicaid 50.1 60.3 32.9 40.0
Health 55.7 66.1 27.6 55.3
Taking care of children or others 15.8 20.2 7.2 12.4
Didn't want to work more 14.8 15.2 17.7 10.9
Enrolled in school or training 6.0 6.7 5.3 4.7
Other 4.0 3.3 3.7 6.1
None indicated 23.3 14.3 50.8 20.6
Support that could boost earnings a
Better job skills 37.8 33.4 35.6 42.4
Help finding a better job 36.5 37.5 35.9 36
Flexible work schedule 30.1 30.1 26.4 32
Reliable transportation to or from work 31.0 21.4 50.4 28.1
Help with personal care 13.7 13 7.5 17.6
Help caring for children or others 8.5 8.9 7.5 8.8
Special equipment or devices 4.7 4 2.8 6.2
Other 6.3 7.6 6.1 5.6
None indicated 36.3 37.7 19.4 44.3
Number (unweighted)
All beneficiaries 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998
Recently employed beneficiaries 5,707 2,793 1,183 1,731
Number (weighted)
All beneficiaries 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145
Recently employed beneficiaries 1,759,901 959,084 318,804 482,014
Recently employed beneficiaries as a percentage of all beneficiaries (weighted) 13.9 13.0 18.0 13.7
NOTE: "Recently employed" refers to beneficiaries employed at interview or in 2018.
a. Multiple responses possible.
Table 23. Employment activities and expectations, by program and employment status (in percent)
Activity or expectation All beneficiaries Program Beneficiaries employed at interview
DI only Concurrent DI and SSI SSI only
One or more of the below 63.3 58.5 70.0 69.8 100.0
Employment activity a
One or more of the below 18.3 16.3 24.8 19.3 100.0
Working at interview 9.6 9.6 13.0 7.7 100.0
Worked in 2018 13.1 12.4 17.4 12.4 91.4
Looked for work in past 4 weeks 5.9 4.3 10.0 7.1 0.0
Employment service and training activity a
One or more of the below 18.7 15.3 25.2 22.4 53.6
Not working because waiting to finish school or training program 2.1 1.4 1.8 3.8 . . .
Used employment-specific service in 2018 16.1 13.2 22.7 18.7 50.4
Used employment or other service in 2018 to get a job or to increase income 5.1 4.3 7.0 5.9 16.9
Goal or expectation a
One or more of the below 59.7 54.8 67.2 66.4 93.0
Goals include getting a job, new skills, or career advancement 58.4 53.9 64.8 64.3 82.5
Sees self working for pay in the next 2 years 25.7 22.7 32.6 28.5 83.2
Sees self working and earning enough to stop receiving disability benefits in the next 2 years 12.9 9.5 18.8 17.1 30.2
Sees self working for pay in the next 5 years 29.2 26.2 37.9 31.2 75.5
Sees self working and earning enough to stop receiving disability benefits in the next 5 years 18.2 16.4 23.2 19.5 35.1
Number (unweighted) 9,092 4,281 1,813 2,998 4,597
Number (weighted) 12,666,165 7,387,330 1,771,690 3,507,145 1,212,138
NOTE: . . . = not applicable.
a. Multiple responses possible. Excludes "Don't know" and "Refused" responses.
Table 24. Employment activities and expectations, by selected impairment (in percent)
Activity or expectation All beneficiaries Beneficiaries reporting—
Musculoskeletal impairment Mental impairment Intellectual disability
One or more of the below 63.3 56.4 66.3 51.2
Employment activity a
One or more of the below 18.3 11.9 17.8 25.4
Working at interview 9.6 4.9 8.1 21.5
Worked in 2018 13.1 9.1 12.6 22.9
Looked for work in past 4 weeks 5.9 3.8 6.3 2.7
Employment service and training activity a
One or more of the below 18.7 12.1 23.2 32.9
Not working because waiting to finish school or training program 2.1 1.6 2.8 3.9
Used employment-specific service in 2018 16.1 9.7 19.1 31.3
Used employment or other service in 2018 to get a job or to increase income 5.1 4.1 6.6 6.7
Goal or expectation a
One or more of the below 59.7 53.0 61.6 45.8
Goals include getting a job, new skills, or career advancement 58.4 52.5 60.3 41.9
Sees self working for pay in the next 2 years 25.7 15.7 25.3 27.5
Sees self working and earning enough to stop receiving disability benefits in the next 2 years 12.9 7.0 12.6 5.1
Sees self working for pay in the next 5 years 29.2 19.0 30.8 25.9
Sees self working and earning enough to stop receiving disability benefits in the next 5 years 18.2 10.9 18.1 6.0
Number (unweighted) 9,092 2,259 3,606 398
Number (weighted) 12,666,165 4,914,283 4,832,203 428,559
a. Multiple responses possible. Excludes "Don't know" and "Refused" responses.
Table 25. Employment activities and expectations, by age (in percent)
Activity or expectation All beneficiaries Under 30 30–49 50 or older
One or more of the below 63.3 79.2 72.6 57.5
Employment activity a
One or more of the below 18.3 35.9 25.1 13.3
Working at interview 9.6 18.2 14.3 6.6
Worked in 2018 13.1 24.2 18.5 9.5
Looked for work in past 4 weeks 5.9 13.8 6.7 4.5
Employment service and training activity a
One or more of the below 18.7 44.1 23.3 13.4
Not working because waiting to finish school or training program 2.1 10.1 1.8 1.1
Used employment-specific service in 2018 16.1 38.5 20.6 11.3
Used employment or other service in 2018 to get a job or to increase income 5.1 11.6 7.1 3.5
Goal or expectation a
One or more of the below 59.7 75.5 68.7 54.2
Goals include getting a job, new skills, or career advancement 58.4 72.7 67.6 52.8
Sees self working for pay in the next 2 years 25.7 48.9 34.1 19.4
Sees self working and earning enough to stop receiving disability benefits in the next 2 years 12.9 24.6 18.4 9.3
Sees self working for pay in the next 5 years 29.2 58.9 41.4 20.6
Sees self working and earning enough to stop receiving disability benefits in the next 5 years 18.2 32.9 26.9 12.9
Number (unweighted) 9,092 1,885 4,292 2,915
Number (weighted) 12,666,165 1,129,444 3,183,724 8,352,997
a. Multiple responses possible. Excludes "Don't know" and "Refused" responses.
Table 26. Indicators of interest in employment, by beneficiary characteristics
Characteristic Percentage of beneficiaries who— Median hourly reservation wage c ($)
Are work-oriented a Used employment services in 2018 Ever worked for pay Report that a disability prevents work b
All beneficiaries 59.7 16.1 76.0 90.1 13.50
Age
18–24 78.1 46.1 42.1 69.2 10.00
25–39 71.6 28.3 65.8 82.8 10.00
40–54 65.3 15.2 78.0 91.0 12.00
55 or older 52.3 10.8 80.4 92.8 15.00
General health
Excellent or very good 76.3 34.2 62.5 74.5 13.00
Good of fair 62.0 17.0 75.8 88.1 12.50
Poor or very poor 52.2 9.8 79.9 95.7 14.00
Education level
Less than high school 59.2 11.2 61.8 92.1 11.00
High school diploma or GED 57.2 16.2 73.3 89.8 12.00
More than high school 63.8 19.7 91.2 88.8 15.00
Self-reported limiting condition
Intellectual disability 45.8 31.3 40.0 93.8 10.00
Sensory disorder 47.9 15.5 69.4 94.0 13.50
Psychiatric impairment 61.6 19.1 77.0 91.3 12.00
Musculoskeletal impairment 53.0 9.7 83.5 94.4 15.00
Circulatory system disease 52.9 11.6 82.4 95.2 12.00
Age at disability onset
Under 18 62.8 32.5 52.6 82.3 11.00
18–24 68.1 21.1 80.9 82.8 10.00
25–39 67.3 13.2 82.3 91.4 14.00
40–54 54.8 10.4 83.4 93.4 14.00
55 or older 49.2 6.3 79.9 94.4 15.00
Difficulty with—
Getting along with others 63.6 16.1 69.5 92.2 12.00
Concentrating 57.5 17.1 73.3 92.6 13.00
Coping with stress 56.8 16.0 74.2 92.5 12.00
Bathing or dressing 48.6 14.2 74.6 93.7 15.00
Getting around outside the home 54.5 18.2 71.4 93.2 13.50
NOTE: GED = General Educational Development certificate.
a. Work-oriented beneficiaries are those who indicated that their personal goals included getting a job, moving up in a job, or learning new job skills or who saw themselves working for pay in the next 2 years or the next 5 years.
b. Among beneficiaries not working at time of interview.
c. The reservation wage is the lowest hourly wage for which the respondent would be willing to work. Excludes proxy respondents.