The obstacles to work for disabled New Yorkers
People who have disabilities faced big challenges in living, working and getting around in New York prior to COVID-19—and the pandemic made many obstacles even worse.
This project examines two key issues, transportation and employment, in detail:
• Commuters Left Stranded
Thousands rely on the MTA’s Access-A-Ride service to get to work, medical appointments and stores. Yet the agency’s own figures show drivers failed to show up in increasing numbers during the pandemic.
ABOUT WORK Emma K. Farley,, Cara Reedy and Desteny de Leon describe their experiences before and after the pandemic.
• Remote Work Provides Insufficient Support
The city has one of the most competitive job markets in the country. The increase in remote work opportunities helped level the field for disabled workers. But they are still underemployed and need more support to reach the goals set out by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act in more than 30 years ago.
