Why Having a High-Paying Job Is a Sign of ‘Ability Privilege’

Many of us don’t think of employment as a privilege. Working can feel inconvenient and downright stressful at times, and not having to work 40 hours per week might seem much easier. But having a full-time job without needing to worry about an “income cap” is a massive privilege that many people in the disability community lack.

The disability community faces underemployment and poverty at higher rates than the general population does.

While some of this issue stems from discrimination, many people with disabilities can’t work as many hours as they’d like because they collect disability payments (SSI). 

People who rely on disability payments can only have a total of $2000 in their checking and saving accounts combined. This isn’t a livable amount for most people, and therefore, they also can’t save for their futures in a meaningful way. People who are on disability also often use Medicaid for health insurance, and if their accounts have over $2000, they risk losing their insurance coverage as well.

As someone who collects disability payments, it took me longer than I’d like to gain work experience.

After writing without pay for 10 years, last year, I finally landed my first paid writing job. This was a huge accomplishment for me after working in the non-profit world over these past 10 years. I also recently landed a paid position as a social media specialist for a nonprofit for which I used to volunteer. I’m incredibly grateful to have work that I love.

But I still can’t accept just any job.

Like many others with disabilities, I have to be cautious about how much I make to avoid passing the SSI limit. Most people have options for where they work, and they can choose the job with the highest salary or the closest alignment to their goals without a second thought. I — and so many others — can’t use that criteria to pick a job. Taking a job with a high salary would cause me to lose my insurance, so I have to narrow my options.

Additionally, whenever I do “bucket list” activities, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to do them again because of my income limit.

My friends remind me that I have a paying job now, so I may be able to, but they seem to forget that my job is part-time and temporary. I won’t be able to make money forever, and unlike many other people my age, I don’t have excess funds for leisure expenses. If I spend money on something I enjoy or someone gifts me a special experience, like an opportunity to see one of my favorite artists in concert, it may truly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience because I’m on disability and have an income cap.

Many people with disabilities would love to have any job that allows them financial security and the ability to save, but their health conditions force them to accept low-paying jobs — if they’re even hired at all. Disability discrimination seems like the most obvious challenge for disabled people seeking work, but many able-bodied people don’t know that people with disabilities often can’t even take the job opportunities that they receive. This keeps them in a cycle of poverty, and it often makes job-searching so much easier for able-bodied people than it is for people in the disability community.

If able-bodied people lost the ability to earn money without losing the things they need to live, then they would understand what people with disabilities face daily. That’s why the ability to work is so important to many disabled people — we know that working, earning, and saving is a privilege because society denies us that opportunity. So the next time you complain about your job, remember that some people who want to work can’t work without losing their livelihoods. Work is a privilege, but everyone should have the opportunity to make enough money to live well.

Featured Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.