Fixing the Worker, Not the Workplace: Disability, Employment, and Rehabilitation After WWII
Employment has always been tied to how society defines value, productivity, and worth, and people with disabilities have often been left out of that definition. In this six-part blog series, we explore the history of disability and employment in the United States, from the earliest labor systems to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and beyond. Each post examines how attitudes toward work, ability, and merit shaped who was included and who was excluded, and why those patterns persist today. This series connects directly to the themes in The Talent You’re Missing, which examines how merit-based hiring can help employers move beyond outdated assumptions and recognize the talent that has always been there.
Where We Are in the Series
In this post, we focus on the period after World War II through 1989, when disability employment systems expanded and became more formalized. While more people with disabilities were trained for work, true inclusion remained limited because workplaces themselves were rarely required to change. This period is critical to understanding why disability advocates advocated for a civil rights approach to employment and how those efforts directly led to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.
Disability After World War II: A New Scale
After World War II, the United States saw a dramatic increase in the number of peopleliving with disabilities, particularly returning veterans with physical injuries, sensory disabilities, and trauma. In response, the federal government expanded rehabilitation and vocational programs on a large scale, especially through the Veterans Administration and state rehabilitation systems. While these efforts acknowledged disability more openly than before, they were built on the assumption that people with disabilities needed to be fixed, trained, or restored in order to work. Disability was treated as a medical problem to be managed, not a social issue that required changes to workplaces or employment systems.
Employment Without Access
By the 1950s through the 1970s, employment opportunities for people with disabilities had become more formalized, but mainstream workplaces remained largely inaccessible. Most employers expected workers to meet rigid job standards without accommodations, and physical barriers, inflexible schedules, and discriminatory hiring practices were common. Instead of addressing these barriers, systems pushed people with disabilities into segregated employment, sheltered workshops, or low-wage jobs described as “appropriate” or “transitional.” If a person could not fit into existing work structures, the solution was almost always to change the person, not the job or the workplace.
The Shift Toward Rights and Access
In the 1970s and 1980s, disability advocates began to challenge the idea that employment barriers were caused by individual limitations rather than discrimination and inaccessibility. This shift was reinforced by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, particularly Section 504, which prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in federally funded programs and employment. However, Section 504 had no immediate impact because regulations were not issued. In 1977, disability activists organized nationwide protests, including long sit-ins at federal offices, demanding that the government enforce the law. After sustained pressure, the Section 504 regulations were finally signed, establishing the first federal civil rights protections for people with disabilities and confirming that access and nondiscrimination, not rehabilitation alone, were legal requirements.
Laying the Groundwork for the ADA
By the late 1980s, it was clear that Section 504’s limited scope was not enough to ensure equal employment opportunity. Discrimination, lack of accommodations, and inaccessible workplaces remained widespread, especially in the private sector. These gaps led advocates to push for a comprehensive civil rights law, resulting in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and a clear shift toward requiring workplaces to be accessible and inclusive.
Why This Era Still Matters
The period from World War II through 1989 shaped how disability and employment are still approached today. While rehabilitation and job training expanded, the responsibility for success remained on the individual, not the workplace. Segregated jobs, low wages, and limited opportunities became common, while access and accommodations were rarely required. This era shows why training alone was not enough to achieve equal employment.
Looking Ahead
In the next post, we’ll examine the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it changed employment rights for people with disabilities. We’ll look at what the ADA was designed to fix, how it shifted responsibility to employers, and why its promises continue to shape employment policy today.
Want to Learn More About Disability and Employment?
The Talent You’re Missing explores these themes in greater detail and demonstrates how merit-based hiring helps employers move beyond outdated assumptions and recognize talent with disabilities. At Disability Insights, we help organizations apply these ideas in practical, real-world workplace settings.
