Studying the Employment of Persons with Disabilities

Abstract

This Web cast will explore the calibration of the ADA's impact on the employment prospects of qualified persons covered by the law. The presenters will describe the predominant economic models of labor market behavior and discrimination and discuss how those models have been used to develop predictions regarding the impact of the ADA's employment provisions. They will also review studies that purport to provide support for the prediction that the ADA causes declines in employment levels. They discuss reasons why existing research does not allow for conclusions that the ADA has caused declines or increases in employment levels, focusing on definitions and measures of disability used in that research. Lastly, the presenters will identify
problematic issues in the development of models that assess the ADA's effects and caution policy makers regarding the limitations of that research.