Nearly four in 10 working-age Americans with disabilities had a job in October, keeping disability employment close to the record high set a month earlier, according to the monthly National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report released Friday, Nov. 6, by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability.
The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities ages 16 to 64 was 39.9% in October, down slightly from 40.3% in September. For people without disabilities, it rose from 75.0% to 75.3%. The report, based on the federal jobs data released the same day, counted 6,639,000 workers with disabilities, or 4.4% of the 152,321,000 workers ages 16 to 64 in the U.S.
For the millions of people who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), more work can raise a familiar question: what happens to my benefits and health coverage? Social Security’s earnings limits rise in January, so the rules are worth reviewing now.
What did the October disability jobs report show?
Labor force participation for people with disabilities slipped from 43.8% to 43.3%, while it rose from 78.1% to 78.3% for people without disabilities. The nation added 165,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1%, the report said.
“The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities held near record highs at 39.9 percent in October,” said John O’Neill, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation. He said the sustained level “may reflect more people with disabilities entering the labor market as families cope with inflation,” which he called notable given high poverty rates among families that include a member with a disability.
Year-over-year comparisons were not available this month because the federal government shutdown halted Current Population Survey data collection in October 2025, the researchers noted.
How much can SSDI recipients earn in 2027?
According to the Social Security 2027 fact sheet, the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level, the monthly earnings amount Social Security uses to judge whether work is substantial, rises to $1,770 a month in 2027 from $1,690, and to $2,950 from $2,830 for people who are blind.
SSDI recipients also get a trial work period. Under Social Security’s Red Book on work incentives, they can test their ability to work for nine months, which do not have to be in a row, within a 60-month window, and keep full benefits no matter how much they earn. In 2027, any month with gross earnings above $1,270, up from $1,210, counts as a trial work month.
After the trial period, a 36-month extended period of eligibility begins. During it, benefits are paid for any month earnings fall below SGA, as long as the person still has a disabling impairment. Most working SSDI recipients also keep Medicare for at least 93 months after the trial work period ends, the Red Book says.
How does work affect SSI payments and Medicaid?
SSI works differently. Social Security does not count the first $65 of monthly earnings plus half of the rest, on top of a $20 general income exclusion, so less than half of a worker’s earnings reduces the check, according to the Red Book. The maximum federal SSI payment rises to $1,029 for individuals and $1,544 for couples in 2027. Resource limits stay at $2,000 and $3,000.
Under section 1619(b), Medicaid can continue even after earnings are high enough to stop SSI cash payments, if the person still has a disability, needs Medicaid to work and meets the other rules. Students under 22 can exclude up to $2,500 a month of earnings in 2027, up to $10,080 for the year.
Yes. Under the impairment-related work expense rule, Social Security deducts the cost of certain items and services a person needs to work because of an impairment, and pays for out of pocket, when deciding whether earnings are substantial. The Red Book lists examples such as wheelchairs, braces, prostheses and some home modifications like exterior ramps. Keeping receipts for mobility aids and home medical equipment used to get to work can matter.
Where can people get free help with work and benefits?
Social Security’s Ticket to Work program connects SSDI and SSI recipients with free employment services, and it is hosting a free online WISE webinar, “Find Work That Works for You,” on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET. Its help line is 1-866-968-7842 (TTY 1-866-833-2967), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Because each case is different, beneficiaries should report work to Social Security and confirm how earnings affect their own benefits. HNC’s guide to 2027 SSI and SSDI amounts has more on the new year’s payments.
Key Takeaways
- 39.9% of working-age people with disabilities had a job in October, near September’s record 40.3%, per the Nov. 6 nTIDE report.
- In 2027, SGA rises to $1,770 a month ($2,950 if blind), and a trial work month is any month above $1,270.
- SSDI recipients get a nine-month trial work period, a 36-month extended eligibility period and at least 93 months of Medicare in most cases.
- SSI ignores the first $65 of monthly earnings plus half the rest; Medicaid can continue under section 1619(b).
- The Ticket to Work help line is 1-866-968-7842.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of people with disabilities are employed?
In October 2026, 39.9% of people with disabilities ages 16 to 64 were employed, compared with 75.3% of people without disabilities, according to the Nov. 6 nTIDE report.
What is the SGA limit for 2027?
$1,770 a month for people with disabilities other than blindness and $2,950 a month for people who are blind, according to Social Security.
Will I lose SSDI if I start working?
Not right away. SSDI recipients get a nine-month trial work period with full benefits, followed by a 36-month extended period of eligibility. Report your work to Social Security.
Can I keep Medicaid if I earn too much for SSI?
Possibly. Section 1619(b) lets Medicaid continue if you still have a disability, need Medicaid to work and meet the other eligibility rules.
Featured image: An NIH employee at her desk, with her crutches beside her. (Ernie Branson, National Cancer Institute, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
