Untapped Potential

Report: Untapped Potential

Download the report: Untapped Potential: The Employment Reality for People with Intellectual Disability (PDF)

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Untapped Potential: The Employment Reality for People with Intellectual Disability combines national employment, tax, and survey data with the lived experiences of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. While the report reveals a stark picture of employment discrimination and income inequity, it also provides practical solutions to help thousands more people into meaningful work.

The research shows employment has a profound impact on people with intellectual disabilities, providing identity, belonging, and pride and is linked to better health and wellbeing outcomes, as well as greater social connection, improved confidence, and stronger financial security.

Those benefits are experienced by only a small percentage of the intellectually disabled community. Just 26 percent of working-age people with intellectual disabilities are in paid employment, compared with 80 percent of people without intellectual disabilities. Of the people with intellectual disabilities who do work almost 60 percent are paid less than the minimum wage.

The report identifies changes needed to improve employment outcomes, such as better school-to-work transitions, tailored employment support, education and support for workplaces to make accommodations, more inclusive employer practices, and policy settings that encourage workforce participation.

Key findings:

• Only 26% of working-age people with intellectual disabilities are in paid employment, compared with 80% of people without intellectual disabilities.
• People with intellectual disabilities are more likely to be in part-time, insecure and informal employment arrangements.
• More than half earn less than $25 per hour and nearly one in five earn below the minimum wage.
• People with intellectual disabilities are more vulnerable to job loss during economic downturns.
• During Covid-19 targeted government intervention mitigated employment vulnerabilities and protected employment for people with intellectual disabilities.
• Employment is associated with better wellbeing, health, belonging and financial independence.
• Inclusive employers, workplace accommodations, tailored support and effective transition pathways are critical to improving outcomes.