SourceAmerica has presented new workforce data to the National Council on Disability (NCD), highlighting the employment and wage growth achieved through the AbilityOne® Program between 2022 and 2025. The nonprofit organisation argues that the federal procurement programme continues to play a critical role in creating long-term employment opportunities for people with disabilities while supporting essential government operations across the United States.
As governments and employers place greater emphasis on inclusive workforce participation, new data from SourceAmerica suggests that the AbilityOne Program continues to deliver measurable employment outcomes for people with disabilities while supporting critical federal operations.
The organisation presented updated workforce figures and a written submission to the National Council on Disability (NCD), seeking to provide current performance data following what it described as outdated information contained in previous council reports. The presentation outlines employment trends, wage growth, career progression and policy changes that have shaped the programme in recent years.
AbilityOne is one of the largest employment initiatives for people with disabilities in the United States, using federal procurement contracts to create long-term career opportunities through a nationwide network of nonprofit agencies. Workers employed through the programme provide services ranging from IT support and logistics to mail distribution for military personnel and operational support for agencies including NASA.
According to SourceAmerica, the AbilityOne workforce expanded from 32,652 employees in 2022 to 37,407 employees in 2025, representing steady employment growth during a period characterised by labour shortages, rising wages and post-pandemic workforce disruption.
Compensation also increased during the same period. Average hourly wages rose from $16.43 in 2022 to $19.68 in 2025, reflecting broader labour market pressures while demonstrating continued investment in disability employment opportunities.
Career mobility was another area highlighted in the submission. SourceAmerica reported that approximately 6,000 employees transitioned from AbilityOne-supported roles into jobs within the broader community between 2022 and 2025, while 8,800 promotions were recorded across the programme’s workforce. These figures suggest that the initiative is increasingly serving as both a long-term employment pathway and a stepping stone to wider career opportunities.
The organisation argues that these outcomes distinguish AbilityOne from traditional workforce assistance programmes because its employment model is directly linked to federal procurement rather than temporary labour market interventions.
Richard Belden, President and Chief Executive Officer of SourceAmerica, said the programme had continued expanding despite economic conditions that have historically made employment more difficult for individuals with disabilities. Labour shortages, wage competition and post-pandemic business disruption created a challenging operating environment, yet the programme maintained workforce growth and higher wages.
Beyond employment statistics, SourceAmerica also highlighted recent reforms to the programme, particularly the transition away from the use of Section 14(c) certificates, which historically allowed certain employers to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities under specific circumstances.
Following the AbilityOne Commission’s decision to discontinue the use of 14(c) certificates on AbilityOne contracts in 2023, SourceAmerica launched a transition initiative to help nonprofit agencies adopt new wage practices. According to the organisation, the programme has supported 100 nonprofit agencies in moving away from the 14(c) framework.
The update reflects wider policy changes across the United States aimed at expanding competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities while modernising workforce inclusion programmes.
The announcement also illustrates the growing intersection between workforce policy, HR technology and public sector employment. Organisations supporting disability employment are increasingly adopting digital workforce management tools, accessible workplace technologies and skills-based employment models to improve long-term career outcomes.
Major enterprise technology providers including Microsoft, Google, Salesforce and Adobe continue expanding accessibility features across workplace software, while AI-powered assistive technologies are helping employers improve workplace inclusion and productivity for employees with disabilities.
Research from McKinsey & Company has consistently shown that organisations with more inclusive workplaces often outperform peers across innovation, employee engagement and business resilience. At the same time, Gartner identifies accessibility and inclusive employee experience as growing priorities within modern workforce strategies as employers seek to build more diverse and resilient organisations.
For public-sector employers and workforce policymakers, the updated figures reinforce the role procurement-based employment programmes can play in supporting disability inclusion while delivering operational services to government agencies.
As labour markets continue evolving and governments expand disability employment initiatives, programmes such as AbilityOne are likely to remain an important component of broader workforce participation strategies, combining long-term employment, career development and public service delivery within a single operating model.
Market Landscape
Disability employment is becoming an increasingly important component of workforce strategy as governments and employers focus on building more inclusive labour markets. Digital accessibility, AI-powered workplace technologies and skills-based hiring are expanding opportunities for workers with disabilities, while public procurement programmes continue providing structured employment pathways. Research from McKinsey & Company and Gartner suggests that inclusive workplaces contribute to stronger organisational performance, innovation and employee engagement, making accessibility a strategic workforce priority rather than solely a compliance requirement.
Top Insights
- SourceAmerica reported continued employment and wage growth within the AbilityOne Program between 2022 and 2025 despite broader labour market challenges.
- Average hourly wages increased from $16.43 to $19.68, while workforce participation grew to more than 37,000 employees.
- Approximately 6,000 workers transitioned into community employment, demonstrating increased career mobility beyond AbilityOne-supported roles.
- SourceAmerica also highlighted progress in eliminating the use of 14(c) certificates across its nonprofit network following regulatory reforms.
- Disability employment programmes increasingly complement broader workforce inclusion strategies supported by accessible technology and digital workplace innovation.
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