Disabled people on the labour market in 2015

This report presents some figures for disabled persons and their connection to the labour market, based on an ad hoc module of questions to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in the second quarter of 2015. Approximately 17 per cent of the population aged 15-66 reported to have a disability, defined as long-term health problems. 43 per cent of them held a job, compared to 74 per cent in the whole population aged 15-66; approximately the same level as in the preceding two years for both groups. 

Compared with 2002, when these surveys started, the employment rate among disabled persons has decreased by three percentage points, compared to two percentage points for the whole population. 

More than one half of the employees had jobs which had been adapted to their disability, in accordance with the six preceding years. Compared with 2002 there has been an increase by 13 percentage points. 

Twenty-seven per cent of the disabled persons without employment wanted to be employed in the second quarter of 2015, compared to 36 per cent for the whole population aged 15-66. Just 17 per cent of disabled persons wanting work were classified as unemployed, according to the criteria on active job seeking and availability for a job, compared to 38 per cent in total.