Today kicks off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM recognizes the contributions of workers with disabilities. It’s the perfect time to celebrate the value of an inclusive workplace while highlighting the barriers those individuals often face. And there are plenty of ways to celebrate and educate.
This year’s theme, “The Right Talent, Right Now,” focuses on the part workers with disabilities play in the success of America’s economy.
In 1945, Congress declared the first week in October “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” That week is now a month, so there’s more time to celebrate. The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) leads NDEAM, but encourages businesses and other organizations to plan and share their NDEAM campaigns and events.
National Disability Institute recognizes the importance of NDEAM and encourages everyone to start planning for ways to celebrate. Check out nationaldisabilityinstitute.org throughout the month for event listings, blogs and observances.
To get started: ODEP offers a 31 Days of NDEAM slideshow and a list of ideas categorized by type of organization. Check out https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/index-2019.htm. For the official NDEAM 2019 poster, available in both English and Spanish, download or order at https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam/2019english.htm.
