Overview

Competitive, integrated employment is a key part of living a meaningful and inclusive life in the community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). However, the majority of people with I/DD remain either unemployed or underemployed despite their ability, desire, and willingness to work.

You can learn more about The Arc’s position on employment by reading our position statement.

Seated man pointing at small machine, receiving job training from man holding a tablet standing next to him

Why It Matters

People with I/DD can be employed in the community alongside people without disabilities and earn competitive wages. But too many barriers exist that lead to people with I/DD being unemployed or underemployed, hindering the opportunity for financial stability. Currently, people often leave school with little to no community-based vocational experience or planning for transitioning from school to work. Many have been placed in “prevocational” programs and “disability-only” workshops where they are paid below minimum wage and have little expectation of moving into competitive jobs where they can work alongside people without disabilities. These low expectations foster job discrimination.

When employed, few people have opportunities to advance, explore new possibilities, or, in their later years, retire. Unrealistically low limits on assets and earnings make people fear losing vital public benefits if they work too many hours or earn too much. Lack of other services — like transportation or of accommodations like assistive technology — can also hinder success.

Older woman in a restaurant kitchen cleaning cutlery

What The Arc Is Doing

People with I/DD should have the supports necessary from individuals and systems to enable them to find and keep community jobs based on their preferences, interests, and strengths, work alongside people without disabilities, receive comparable wages, and be free from workplace discrimination.

Our Policy Goals
The Arc’s Public Policy Goals make recommendations to help people with I/DD reach their full potential and become as independent as possible through integrated employment. Keys to success include supporting implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), toward maximizing employment outcomes, and improving transition outcomes; supporting “Employment First” policies as a strategy to increase opportunities for competitive integrated employment of individuals with I/DD; and expanding training and technical assistance to community rehabilitation providers to transition from the use of subminimum wages and nonintegrated environments, including career counseling and information about training opportunities required by WIOA.

Our Coalition Work
The CCD Employment and Training Task Force works on issues relevant to the employment of people with disabilities, including best practices, school-to-work transition, training of staff and people with I/DD, and systems.