Citation
Mamun, Arif, O’Leary, Paul, Wittenburg, David C., & Gregory, Jesse. (2011). Employment Among Social Security Disability Program Beneficiaries, 1996–2007. Social Security Bulletin, 71(3).
Highlights
- This article described the variation in employment rates of Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) and Supplemental Security Income recipients over time and across states using a consistent measure of earnings from administrative data. It also examined the extent to which observable demographic and disability characteristics of recipients could explain the variation in employment rates.
- One purpose of the analysis was to assess then-current policies and provide benchmarks for ongoing demonstration projects and future return-to-work initiatives. The study characterized more than 10 million working-age adult disability recipients.
- Authors found that the overall employment rate—defined for the study as annual earnings over $1,000—was 12 percent in 2007. Substantial variation existed within the population. DI recipients and those younger than 40 were much more likely to work relative to other Social Security recipients. Additionally, substantial regional variation existed across states; employment rates ranged from 7 percent (West Virginia) to 23 percent (North Dakota).
- The analysis also found that the employment rates among recipients were sensitive to the business cycle and persistent over time.
Reviewed by CLEAR
December 2014