The unemployment rate among Americans with disabilities increased significantly in January, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday.

Statistics indicate that the jobless rate jumped to 13.7 percent last month for people with disabilities, a steep rise over the 11.7 percent unemployment rate reported for the final month of 2012.

Multiple factors appear to have contributed to the growth in individuals with disabilities without jobs in January. Not only were there more without jobs, but the number of people seeking work also grew, according to Labor Department data.

Despite the glum picture for Americans with disabilities, the employment situation was little changed for the general population. Statistics show that the economy added 157,000 jobs in January but the unemployment rate was relatively stable at 7.9 percent.

The Labor Department began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.

Data on people with disabilities covers those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.

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