October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

During each October the U.S. Department of Labor promotes nationwide recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) by assisting employers and advocacy groups to plan programs and events that highlight the skills and abilities of job seekers and working Americans who have disabilities.

The designation of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month has evolved through various congressional statutes. In 1945 Congress designated the first week in October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” The designated period was increased to the full month of October and the name was changed to “National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 1988. In 2001 the Department of Labor Office created the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and gave it responsibility for fostering the recognition of NDEAM.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Labor announces a new theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The 2009 theme is “Expectations + Opportunity = Full Participation.” The theme, as noted by former ODEP Assistant Secretary Neil Romano, underscores the fact that “every single person in this country has skills and talents to contribute to the workplace and every single person has an inherent right to work.” Mr. Romano emphasized the goal of removing any obstacles that prevent Americans with disabilities from achieving their maximum potential as employees in a fully integrated workplace.

UTHSC Disability Employment Awareness Month Events

Contact Us

Office of Equity and Diversity
920 Madison Avenue
Suite 420
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: 901.448.2112
Fax: 901.448.1120
Michael Alston, Director