Disability and the workplace in 2026: setbacks, stigma, and AI - HR Brew

Summary

US disability employment reached an all-time high in fall 2025, but disabled workers face renewed threats from AI hiring systems, strict in-office mandates, and persistent workplace discrimination and stigma. The article examines challenges including biased automated screening, lack of remote work flexibility, and inaccessible workplace technology, while highlighting disabled professionals' calls for employers to address their own biases and make disability inclusion a core cultural value.