KWDI Korean Women’s Development Institute

2017 KWDI Abstract

 

The Current State of Unemployment of Women with Disabilities and Policy Agenda

 

Ki-Taek Jeon

Sun-Haeng Lee

Kim Yeongae

 

The purpose of this study is to facilitate the employment of women with disabilities and to prepare ways to employ women with disabilities by analyzing characteristics of unemployed Korean women with disabilities, their transition into the labor market, including getting a job, and demands for supporting their employment, thereby promoting their employment.

 

To achieve this research purpose, this study analyzed the current state of unemployment of women with disabilities and the transition of unemployed women with disabilities into the labor market using the data from the Survey of Economic Activity Status of the Disabled and the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled. Also, the study reviewed overseas cases and identified demands for supporting their employment through a questionnaire survey of unemployed women with disabilities. Major research findings include, first, the unemployment rate of women with disabilities according to the expanded concept of unemployment by Statistics Korea is higher than the employment rates of all men, all women, and men with disabilities. Second, unemployed women with disabilities want to receive support for employment, employment retention, and vocational skill development and training. Third, according to the analysis of determinants of the economic activity status of women with disabilities using the multinomial Logit model, recipients of the basic livelihood security have a significantly higher probability of being in economically inactive status than in economically active status, and of belonging to unemployed status than to employed status. Fourth, according to the analysis of determinants of the transition of unemployed women with disabilities into the labor market using the panel binomial Logit model, the probability of their transition into employed status becomes higher if they have more certificates, if they do not have children under seven, if they are not recipients of the basic livelihood security, if they have had education and training, and if they have used employment services. Fifth, the unemployment experience of women with disabilities has a negative impact on their employment types, wages, and job security. Based on the above-mentioned research results, this study proposes expanding occupational types available for women with disabilities, operating job-preparatory programs for women with disabilities, establishing specialized employment support service centers for women with disabilities, creating a disabled women-friendly environment for education, training and working conditions, expanding various types of jobs, and preparing a legal ground for employment policies on women with disabilities.