By Lecia Parks Langston, Senior Economist

“Know me for my abilities, not my disability.” -Robert M. Hensel

In October 2016, the Utah Department of Workforce Services welcomed the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR) under its umbrella of public services. USOR has been in the business of assisting Utahns with disabilities for decades. Workers help those with disabilities find meaningful employment, participate in the community and improve daily life. In addition, Workforce Services helps Utah businesses by connecting them with job-ready applicants, offering training and assistance in recruiting, hiring and maintaining workers with disabilities. Businesses can also receive information on disability issues and workplace accommodations.

What information regarding Utahns with disabilities is available? As is often the case, the American Community Survey (ACS) offers a wealth of demographic data for counties. Using the 2011-2015 ACS averages, Workforce Services has prepared a data visualization detailing the demographics of people with disabilities for Utah’s counties. Five-year averages allow the publication and comparison of data for small counties. This post includes an abbreviated version of the visualization; the full version can be found here. As always, directions in the final tab outline how to download the information. More...

Employment for October 2017 grew by an estimated 2.7 percent, adding 39,400 jobs to Utah's economy since October 2016. Utah’s current employment level registers 1,492,600. September’s year-over job growth was revised from 2.4 percent to 2.7 percent.

October’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point from the prior month to 3.3 percent. Approximately 51,600 Utahns were unemployed during the month and actively seeking work. The national unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from September to 4.1 percent. More...