Observing National Disability Employment Awareness Month

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) makes space every October for education around disability employment issues, in addition to celebrating the contributions of workers with disabilities.

To help raise awareness about the importance of access and representation for disabled employees, we’ve compiled some educational resources for those interested in learning more.

Need a starting point? The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has created a resource dedicated to helping both employers and employees foster a more inclusive workplace culture.

Some tips include:

• Review policies
• Establish an employee resource group
• Train supervisors and educate employees
• Raise awareness with the NDEAM 2021 social media kit

Keeping up to date with inclusive language is also a key part of fostering a safe workplace. The “Disability + Ability” section of the Conscious Style Guide houses articles and resources that contribute to current conversations regarding language.

And, here are some advocacy organizations that can provide insight, assistance, and resources:

American Association of People with Disabilities

• The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities.

Disability Rights Advocates

• Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) is the leading national nonprofit disability rights legal center. Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all types of disabilities nationwide.

Disability Rights Legal Center

• Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC) is a 501C-3 non-profit, public interest advocacy organization that champions the civil rights of people with disabilities as well as those affected by cancer.

National Inclusion Project

• We work with community organizations and recreational programs, providing them with the training, tools, and support they need so that children with disabilities can be included in ALL of their activities and programs.

ABA's Courtney Wallace and Emily Behnke contributed to this article.