Unemployment increased nearly 2 percent in August among people with disabilities, reaching a record high for the third month in a row, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The rate of unemployment reached 16.9 percent in August, up from 15.1 percent in July. That’s the highest rate of unemployment among people with disabilities since the government began tracking such data last fall. The rate has soared throughout the summer, breaking records every month since June.

At the same time, job losses appear to be slowing among the rest of the population, with August seeing a 9.3 percent rate of unemployment versus 9.5 percent in July. These numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

The Department of Labor began tracking employment for people with disabilities in October 2008. The data covers people with disabilities over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February. Now, reports are released monthly.

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