National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:44:56 -0400

(Adapted from https://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/blog/index.php/ndeam/)

Held every October, NDEAM is an opportune time to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The 2017 NDEAM theme is “Inclusion Drives Innovation.”

“Americans of all abilities must have access to good, safe jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. “Smart employers know that including different perspectives in problem-solving situations leads to better solutions. Hiring employees with diverse abilities strengthens their business, increases competition and drives innovation.”

NDEAM is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. The Campaign for Disability Employment encourages organizations of all sizes and in all industries to participate in NDEAM.

For specific ideas on supporting NDEAM, visit www.dol.gov/ndeam. Suggestions range from simple, such as putting up a poster, to comprehensive, such as implementing a disability education program. Regardless, all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive workforce, one where every person is recognized for his or her abilities—every day of every month.