Celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to celebrate the value and talent workers with disabilities add to America’s workplaces and economy. This year’s theme is “Access to Good Jobs for All.”
People with disabilities have the highest unemployment rate in the nation (up to 85% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities remain unemployed). Yet many people with disabilities are ready, willing, and able to do the work our country needs. As an organization advancing social justice, S:US is at the forefront of this issue.
We support employment for people with disabilities in a variety of ways, including hiring them as urban farmers, working with employers like CVS Health on training opportunities, and collaborating with residents at our supportive housing and day habilitation participants as they organize emergency food distribution and maintain community fridges.
Resources/how to be a disability employment ally:
- Read about disability etiquette
- Share these PSA videos from the Campaign for Disability Employment
- For an overview of major milestones in disability history and resources for educators to enhance awareness of it, read Disability History: An Important Part of America’s Heritage (PDF)
- Check out these resources from the Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth
- Learn about the value of people with disabilities in the workforce.
- Companies That Lead in Disability Inclusion Outperform Peers Financially (Accenture)
- Disability as a Source of Competitive Advantage (Harvard Business Review)
- Seven Reasons Why Hiring People With Disabilities Is Good for Business (Forbes)
- Accommodations Cost Less Than You Think and Have a High, Positive Impact (Job Accommodation Network)
Thanks to everyone who supports people with disabilities for advancing access and equity.