Workers With Disabilities Earn 12% Less Per Hour, With 9% Gap Unexplained
Updated
Updated · startupbusiness.it · May 16
Workers With Disabilities Earn 12% Less Per Hour, With 9% Gap Unexplained
1 articles · Updated · startupbusiness.it · May 16
ILO 2024 data shows employed people with disabilities earn 12% less per hour than non-disabled workers, with about 9 percentage points of that gap not explained by age, education or job type.
That shortfall begins before pay is set: the report says disabled workers are often filtered into lower-skilled roles, given fewer advancement opportunities and denied reasonable adjustments that would let skills be fully used.
Europe’s access gap is also wide, with only about half of people with disabilities employed versus roughly three-quarters of those without disabilities, according to the European Commission.
Italy still lacks a stable official indicator comparable to the gender pay gap, though INPS says average annual private-sector pay was €24,486 in 2024, underscoring a labor market already marked by broad wage disparities.
The report argues hiring disabled workers does not inherently cost more for the same role, and public incentives can cover 35% to 70% of gross monthly taxable pay, making inaccessible workplace design the bigger economic drag.
If most disability accommodations cost nothing, what truly fuels the persistent 12% global pay gap?
As the UK mandates pay gap reporting, will transparency finally solve workplace disability discrimination?
Why are thousands of disabled workers legally paid just dollars per hour in the United States?
The Disability Wage Gap in the U.S. (2026): Causes, Consequences, and Policy Solutions for Equal Pay
Overview
As of 2026, people with disabilities in the United States still face major gaps in employment and earnings. A key reason is the ongoing use of subminimum wages, made possible by Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This law, first enacted in 1938 and last revised in 1989, lets the Department of Labor issue special certificates so employers can pay disabled workers less than the federal minimum wage. Although this was meant to help increase job opportunities, it has led to continued wage inequality and ongoing debate about fair employment for people with disabilities.