The Disabled Labor Force Participation Characteristics And Its Influencing Factors

Undertakings for the disabled are important components of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and labor force participation and employment issues are key topics of undertakings for the disabled. Study of these issues in the foreign countries has several decades' history, while the domestic study has a comparatively short history and is short of research based on comprehensive and systematic investigation data. The starting point of this dissertation is to promote employment and improve economic status and well-being of the disabled. The research of the dissertation applies some knowledge of economics, sociology and statistics, and it is based on the informed research domestically and in the foreign countries. With data from the Second National Sampling Survey for the Disabled of Zhejiang Province, we study labor force participation status quo as well as characteristics of the disabled and analyze its influencing factors, and attempt to bring forward several policy proposals based on our research conclusions.First, we discusses four effects called "Incapacitating Effect", "Unemployment Effect", "Employment-promoting Effect" and "Unemployment Benefits Effect" respectively, which will influence labor force participation of the disabled. We analyze the negative influence the first two effects have to the labor force participation and employment, and the positive influence the third effect has. The uncertain influence the fourth effect has enlightens us to think further for unemployment security of the disable.Then, with those four effects in mind, we utilize data from the Second National Sampling Survey for the Disabled of Zhejiang Province to analyze the status quo and characteristics of the labor force participation, employment and unemployment of the disabled grouped by gender, place of residence, age, education and disability pattern. We found the disable face multiple barriers when they participate in the labor force market. The "Incapacitating Effect" of the disabled is quite high. Their education level is far below the whole society. Most of the working disabled occupy in service and hand operation.The disabled over 50 are much more inclined to be unemployed. A young group called "the new unemployed" emerges in rural area.The family division which is intensified by disabilities broadens the gap in labor force participation rate between male and female disabled.Further, with a logistic regression model evolved from utility function, we empirically studies the factors that influence labor force participation decision as well as employment of the disabled in general conditions. We validate significant influence of factors like age and marriage. Surprisingly we find factors including education level, subsistence allowance and employment support measures have not significant influence on labor force participation of the disabled. The result leads people to consider deeply for the issues on education, occupation, unemployment security and employment support towards the disabled.Finally, based on the research of the whole dissertation, we attempt to bring forward policy proposals as follows. Promote the employment of the disabled by preventing the occurrence of disability and improve the rehabilitation of the disabled. Eliminate discrimination in education opportunities, and reform occupation structure of the disabled. Strengthen the regional collaboration between urban and rural as well as between cities and towns on the issue of employment of the disabled. Intensify unemployment security for the disabled. Carry out different welfare improving programs for male and female disabled. Improve information collecting and statistic work so as to find the disabled suited jobs and provide clues for policy making.