Center for Disability Research

The onset of a severe health impairment can alter the course of an individual's career, in many cases leading to an unexpected and substantial reduction in labor market activity and, ultimately, long-term claiming of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

The RAND Center for Disability Research (CDR) aims to better understand the social and economic causes and consequences of disability in the United States. Research themes include examining the roles of employers, healthcare markets, knowledge networks and social insurance programs such as SSDI.

Featured Report

Unmet Need for Workplace Accommodation
May 16, 2019

For some disabled workers, staying at work depends on accessing accommodations. The ways in which workplace accommodation is measured in surveys have important implications for identifying those people on the margin of working or not working depending on whether they are accommodated—and, as a result, estimating unmet need for workplace accommodation.

Media Mentions

Featured Projects

Principals Need More Support to Help Students with Disabilities, Especially in Schools That Serve Mostly Students of Color
Principals play a critical role in supporting America's 6.7 million students with disabilities. But most principals—especially those who lead schools that serve mostly students of color—believe that their schools could do a better job in this area.
Federal Disability Payments Encourage More Caregiving Assistance from Family Members
Federal disability benefits can lead to increases in other support for beneficiaries, such as in-kind assistance from adult children. They also increase the likelihood that children are paid for their in-kind assistance and enable children who provide that assistance to reduce the amount that they work.
Monitoring Wage Loss for Injured Workers in California
Comparing earnings losses for California workers who suffered a workplace injury or illness from 2014 - 2015 with previous trends, earnings have increased slightly but remain lower than the pre-recession average.