Employment and disability among young Australians and associations with psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

•This is the first study assessing how employment and disability status is associated with distress among young people during the pandemic.•Disability status modified the association between employment status and psychological distress.•Young people with disabilities had adjusted mean Kessler-10 scores indicative of high psychological distress both when employed and unemployed.•Unemployment among young people with disabilities was associated with a 6.20 point (95% CI 2.26, 10.14) increase in mean K10 score.