Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Population Health Research Brief Series

How Do State Labor Policies Impact Disability for Latino Adults in the U.S.?

Marc A. Garcia, Blakelee Kemp, and Erin Bisesti

March 2026

Marc A. Garcia

Erin Bisesti

Sociology Department

Center for Aging and Policy Studies

Lerner Center Population Health Research Brief Series

United States

Marc A. Garcia

Erin Bisesti

State labor policies shape working conditions, health care access, and retirement security.

This brief describes how these policies influence disability rates among Latino adults aged 45-85 in the United States. The authors find that, from 2000 to 2016, Latino disability rates were lower in states with more worker-friendly labor protections.

The disability rate among Latinos was 21.6% in states with the most conservative labor policies compared to 17.6% in states with the most liberal policies. The findings suggest that states could reduce disability rates among Latino adults by adopting stronger worker protections.

Download Brief