Join Project Freedom as we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a national campaign to increase awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The theme for 2018 is “America’s Workforce: Empowering All.”
NDEAM’s roots go back to 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.”
Upon its establishment in 2001, the US Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODP) assumed responsibility for NDEAM and has worked to expand its reach and scope ever since.
