October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 3, 2011 - October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The annual observance raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office on Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announced that the theme for this year's observance is "Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities." According to the ODEP, the theme honors the contributions of workers with disabilities.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, labor force participation for people with disabilities is at 21%, compared with 69.9% for people without disabilities. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 16.1% versus 8.8% for people without disabilities.
NDEAM began in 1945, when the first week in October was declared by Congress as "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1988, the observance was expanded to the entire month of October and renamed "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."
For more information about NDEAM, visit these websites:
