This article, written by Monique Morrissey and published with the the Economic Policy Institute on their Working Economics Blog, draws information from research performed by PI and RISEI Director Dr. Michelle Yin.
Alarming statistics that show large declines in the employment and labor force participation of Americans with disabilities are often cited to support the claim that workers in poor health but able to work are increasingly opting out of the workforce to claim disability benefits. However, these statistics don’t account for a weak labor market, an aging population, the rise in women’s labor force participation, or problems with self-reported disability measures. If one takes these factors into account, there’s no evidence that more workers with comparatively mild impairments are exiting the workforce to claim disability benefits… Read more here.