According to the state Department of Labor’s Division of Research and Statistics, unemployment rates for people with disabilities in New York State averaged 16.2 percent for the one-year period between April 2020 and March 2021, an increase of 8.9 percent over the prior year. As noted in Michelle Gorenstein’s article posted by Autism Spectrum News, people on the spectrum are an extremely valuable and underutilized talent pool.
“Deficits in social skills are a core feature of ASD and a significant barrier to obtaining and maintaining successful employment. In fact, research suggests that up to 90 percent of job losses in individuals with disabilities are due to difficulties in social communication… However, this is only one piece of the puzzle and must coincide with customized employment, traditional job coaching, workplace accommodations, and trainings on inclusion in the workplace.”
