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Social Security Savings Through
Competitive Employment |
People with severe disabilities are
extremely disadvantaged in the world of work because they have a physical
or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more functional
capabilities with respect to employment. 9.4 million Americans fall into
the severely disabled category, and 74 percent are unemployed.
If just one percent-or 94,000-severely
disabled Americans were to become competitively employed, the savings to
American taxpayers would be tremendous. Consider the following: |
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Annually, taxpayers would save an
estimated $24,040.20 for each individual now receiving federal Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments
and related health benefits that, instead, become gainfully and competitively
employed. |
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With 94,000 severely disabled Americans
competitively employed at $10 per hour, the total first year savings would
equal $983,165,392. |
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By the second year, savings would
more than triple to $3,790,173,800 as these newly employed Americans came
off of SSDI. Savings would be nearly $19 billion within 5 years, and nearly
$38 billion in 10 years. |
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The total benefit to taxpayers over
a 10-year period would be $45.8 billion. This would be due to the elimination
of SSI and related outlays coupled with additional tax revenues. |
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The federal government plays a major
role in generating employment and economic self-sufficiency opportunities
for people with severe disabilities. That is why the ONE PERCENT COALITION
supports S. 1570, the Employer Work Incentive Act for Individuals with Severe
Disabilities. This new bi-partisan legislation, co-sponsored by U.S. Senator
Pat Roberts (R-KS) and U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), provides a meaningful
incentive program requiring government agencies and contractors to establish
a procurement advantage for federal contractors and subcontractors that
competitively employ significant numbers of severely disabled Americans.
By establishing this federal contracting incentive program, we believe that
we can realistically achieve the goal of a one percent or better increase
in competitive employment of severely disabled Americans.
For more information, contact John D.
Kemp at (202) 466-6550. |
1501 M Street, NW, 7th
Floor, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 466-6550
Fax: (202) 785-1756 |
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