New data from the U.S. Department of Labor finds the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities inching upward.

Figures released Friday show that the jobless rate for individuals with disabilities reached 13.6 percent in May. That’s up from 12.9 percent the month prior.

The rise comes as the overall employment situation remained relatively steady. The Labor Department said that the unemployment rate for the general population ticked up slightly to 7.6 percent in May from 7.5 percent the previous month while the economy added 175,000 jobs.

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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