About Employment First?
What is Employment First?
Employment First, means that employment in the general workforce should be the first and
preferred option for individuals with disabilities receiving assistance from publicly funded
systems. Simply put, Employment First means real jobs, real wages.
What does “employment in the general workforce” mean?
Employment in the general workforce means regular jobs like everyone else in society: in
typical work settings, working side-by-side with people without disabilities, earning regular
wages and benefits and being part of the economic mainstream of our society. Employment First is a movement to deliver meaningful employment, fair wages, and career advancement for people with disabilities.
Why Employment?
Per the US Department of Labor, the workforce participation rate for individuals with
disabilities is about 1/3 that of people without disabilities. Working age adults with disabilities live below the poverty line at twice the rate of the general population (US Census).
Focusing our public resources on
Employment First, providing the assistance necessary to find and succeed in employment, is a
road out of poverty, dependence, and isolation, for individuals with disabilities.
Who Benefits from Employment First?
Communities
Feel the economic force of fair wages spent in the local economy & the valuable lesson of witnessing the many abilities of people with disabilities.
Businesses
Receive talented employees & specialized support for job acquisition & retention
People with Disabilities
Gain employment, fair wages, benefits, & the dignity that arises from gainful employment.
Families
See a family member in a fully competent role in the workplace.
Taxpayers
Spend less money than they would have to support an individual with disabilities in a segregated day program & gain the economic contributions & tax revenue of fair wages.
Employment First Map: See what’s happening with Employment First activities across the country
This map is a resource for everyone involved in the Employment First movement including: individuals with disabilities, family members, employers, employment providers, state vocational rehabilitation staff, state developmental disability staff, educators, policymakers, researchers, and general community members.
There is an Employment First effort taking place in every state. States engage in Employment First initiatives in different ways. Currently, 31 states have passed Employment First Legislation, 16 states have Employment First Executive Orders, and 32 states have State Agency Administrative policies/regulations in place - all in support of Employment First. It is common for states to have a combination of legislation, Executive action and/or State Agency policy in place.
National APSE does not specifically endorse any particular approach to advancing Employment First. What is most important is the extent to which cross-systems collaboration is happening within states in a meaningful way and is leading to improved employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
