The ideal labor market would find a job for every worker, and a worker for every job. Yet there always are unfilled jobs and unemployed workers. The labor market is not perfect and one reason is barriers that prevent some people from getting good jobs. The primary barrier is lack of appropriate training or competency, and that subject is examined elsewhere in this report. But there are other barriers that make a capable job seeker unavailable for or unable to access an open job.

In this section, we examine four barriers to employment that affect some individuals’ potential in the workplace:

  • Disabilities
  • Transportation
  • Criminal history
  • Discrimination
  

 
   
     
  Poverty is higher among bus riders than among workers who commute by other meansHistoric sidebarDiscrimination happenbs in many placesRacial /ethnic patterns of employmentBlacks and Hispanics are underrepresented in managerian and professional positionsOther occupations  
  DisabilitiesTransportationCriminal historyDiscrimination  
  Indianapolis has more disabilities than most other citiesIndianapolis is good at finding employment for people with disabilitiesIndianapolis business leaders recognize that people with disabilities have much to offer