Associations Between Digital Divide Indicators and Employment Retention Among Workers with and Without Disabilities

• Activity Number: 143 - SPEED: Bayesian Methods and Social Statistics Part 1
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, August 8, 2022 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Amy Fong*
• Companies: Department of Labor - Office of Disability Employment Policy
• Keywords: digital divide; disability employment; Current Population Survey; logistic regression

Abstract

Americans with disabilities have lower rates of home internet subscribership and lower rates of internet use, compared with Americans without disabilities. These gaps in internet access and use indicate the disability digital divide. There is little evidence on how these gaps may relate to disparities in employment outcomes between workers with and without disabilities. Using the longitudinal design of the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Computer and Internet Use supplements to the Current Population Survey (CPS), this study examines the one-year employment transitions among people with and without disabilities based on internet user status and home internet type. Logistic regression analysis of one-year employment retention finds that home internet subscribership is positively associated with employment retention among workers with disabilities.