Unemployment among Americans with disabilities inched up last month even as the overall job situation appeared to improve, the U.S. Department of Labor said.

Figures released late last week indicate that the jobless rate for people with disabilities rose to 12.9 percent in June. That’s up from 12.7 percent the month prior.

In addition to showing fewer with disabilities on payrolls, the data also suggest that more individuals in this population stopped seeking work altogether.

At the same time, the economy showed signs of improvement, adding 288,000 jobs. Unemployment for the general population dropped to 6.1 percent in June, the Labor Department said.

Federal officials 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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