Although work disability is widespread among women with physical or mental impairment, little is known about its gendered nature. Drawing on the disablement and women's health literatures, it is argued that labor-market resources and participation in normatively structured social roles may be important in shaping women's work disability. Using data from a Canadian probability sample of community dwellers with disabilities, the paper examines the effects of functional limitation, labormarket resources, stage in the life course, and family roles on work disability. It also assesses the extent to which the relationship between social roles and disability depends on women's socioeconomic circumstances. Results indicate that younger individuals, married women, and those with high levels of homemaking responsibilities were less likely to report work disability than their counterparts without these social resources and roles. The impact of the parental role (children in the household) on work disability varied according to education.
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