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Disabled workers were among the people who gained most from the labor shortage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, as increased demand for staff overcomes long-standing barriers to better-paying jobs.
But some experts say US progress could be reversed as President Donald Trump is trying to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs that adjust reasonable adjustments to protect disabled workers from disadvantaged positions. The administration has also ordered staff cuts in the federal government, one of the nation’s largest employers of disabled workers.
Advocates of disabled workers describe the policy as the sudden end of a period of progress that peaked in 2023 with a record number of disabled people in employment.
The shift to remote work that began during the closure, along with a tough labor market, nearly doubled the rate at which customized equipment was approved for blind to wheelchair-friendly desks, and screen readers to wheelchair-friendly desks, according to the disability nonprofit organization.
Many of the teams and initiatives that led these shifts are disbanding along with those that benefit ethnic minorities and women as they attack what Trump calls “immoral discrimination” that can “define the unity of our people.”
“This is driving people with disabilities out of work,” says Keely Catwells, who runs the UK-based charity maker space from Los Angeles. “It’s economic deprivation…it limits our access to economic independence.”
In 2024, 13% of the US population had a disability and was defined as a physical or mental disorder that effectively restricts major living activities, the Labor Bureau figures showed that unemployment among disabled workers was about twice as high as those without disabilities.
Keely Cat-Wells, CEO of Making Space
People with disabilities may be older than their non-disabled peers, have no education, and may face employment discrimination. U.S. labor laws allow some employers to even pay disabled people below the federal minimum wage.
During his first days in office, Trump put an end to all federal programs that promote accessibility, along with diversity, equity and inclusion. He ordered federal agencies to identify “potential civil compliance investigations” of publicly traded businesses and other organizations as part of a plan to block DEI programs that constitute “illegal discrimination or preferences.”
“If you need to interview a job, I’m worried about what will happen if the people who arranged accommodation are no longer there,” says Joel Emerson, CEO of the Cultural and Inclusion Software Platform Paradigm.
Trump fired about half of his education division. This is a move by the nonprofit Association of Persons with Disabilities, which says it will prevent classroom protection for students with disabilities. Congressional Republicans have also proposed cutting Medicaid, which funds health care for more than 10 million children and adults with disabilities.
Advocacy groups accused Trump of having a mild emptying for people with disabilities, noting that he did not provide sign language interpreters at a White House event, and pointed to the president’s comments denounce Federal Aviation Administration employees of the obstacles to a January plane crash in Washington. White House officials said in a statement: “The Trump Vance administration places importance on the contributions of government officials with disabilities and believes that it should be recognized and rewarded based on the merits of work.”
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Research shows that efforts to recruit people with disabilities have positive effects. A 2023 report from professional services company Accenture found that companies with high levels of inclusion with disabilities generate significantly more revenue than their peers.
“Economically, it makes sense to invest in people with disabilities,” says Diego Mariscal, CEO of 2Gether-International, a startup accelerator for entrepreneurs with disabilities. “Employers have the opportunity to set an example,” adds Mariscal.
Many US companies are beginning to change their diversity stances to avoid threats from Trump. Of the top 400 companies on the S&P 500 index in March, 90% of companies that filed their annual reports have dumped the term altogether since Trump’s election cut at least some references to the DEI. But Emerson says it may be too early to assess the full impact these moves have on workers.
Some employers say they are still committed to maintaining a comprehensive workplace for people with disabilities. Emily Dickens, head of government affairs for the Human Resources Association’s Shrm Association, says the addition of a remote role will allow the team to recruit one of the top performers, quadriplegia.
Making the workplace more inclusive may be one of the few ways employers can meet their labor needs as the American workforce is stagnant, says Dickens.
“We are still a million workers and people want to contribute,” she adds. “Why don’t you take that?”
