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National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) Technical
Bulletin: October 2006
The Northeast ADA&IT Center has recently been awarded a grant for another five years of funding. We are now called the DBTAC- Northeast ADA Center at Cornell University. We provide training, technical assistance and materials as well as research on the ADA and accessible technology throughout New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This monthly technical bulletin is part of our dissemination efforts and if you do not want to receive this document or would like others from your organization added to our list, please call 1-800-949-4232 or reply to this message. Thank you NDEAM Information (excerpt from US Department of Labor-Office on Disability Employment Policy) What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month? Congress designated each October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment actually began in 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month." Since 2001, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in the U.S. Department of Labor has been responsible for planning NDEAM activities and materials to increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities. Various programs carried out throughout the month also highlight the specific employment barriers that still need to be addressed and removed. ODEP provides information online that can be used for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, as well as other educational programs throughout the year on its Publications webpage. *US DOL NDEAM poster http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/posters.htm *Disability Employment 101 from US Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/products/employmentguide/index.html A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America (excerpt from US Department of Labor-Office on Disability Employment Policy) During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we pay tribute to the accomplishments of the men and women with disabilities whose work helps keep America's economy strong, and we underscore our commitment to ensuring equal employment opportunity for all of our citizens. Our country has made great progress to ensure that opportunities are accessible to everyone who is willing and able to work. Access to jobs was significantly expanded in 1990 when President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. This important legislation has served as a foundation for strengthening our Nation's workforce and advancing innovation and American leadership in a global marketplace. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061003-7.html New EEOC website in October EEOC recently added to their initiative section of their website, LEAD- (Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities). This is related to federal employees with disabilities and the decline of their employment with the federal government. EEOC feels that the federal government should be the example for other employers and has created this initiative to help with such things as:
US DOL Mentoring Day Information (excerpt from US Department of Labor-Office on Disability Employment Policy) Students with disabilities (mentees) are matched with workplace mentors according to expressed career interests. Mentees experience a typical day on the job and learn how to prepare to enter the world of work. Employers gain an increased awareness that people with disabilities represent an overlooked talent pool. Disability Mentoring Day is a program of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). Disability Mentoring Day began in 1999 with fewer than three-dozen student participants as part of a White House effort to increase the profile of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), celebrated every October. In 2005, 9,000 youth with disabilities participated nationally and in 20 international locations. They were mentored by more than 2,000 private, non-profit, governmental, and educational organizations. For more information, please go to: http://www.dol.gov/odep/programs/dmd.htm Youth with disabilities and employment Listed below are resources related to youth who are employed or looking to be employed:
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