This study compares the labor market experiences of men with disabilities before and after
the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. After estimating
employment and wage functions using the Heckman sample selection model, we decompose
the employment and wage differentials using appropriate decomposition techniques (Even
and McPherson 1990; Neuman and Oaxaca 2004). The analyses are performed using data
from the Survey of Income Program Participation extending from six years before to 11
years after the passage of the ADA. The results indicate that employment and wage gaps
between disabled and nondisabled men have risen sharply over time. Overall, discrimination
on entry to employment is more important than wage discrimination and the ADA had less
effect on reducing discrimination in employment opportunities than on wage
discrimination.