Congress designates October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). According to the office of Disability Employment Policy, the purpose for drawing attention to this month is to bring about the ”public’s awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities as well as highlight those employment barriers that still need to be addressed and removed.” As of September 2011, the US Depart of Labor announced that the unemployment rate of workers with disabilities is 16.1% compared to 8.5% of those without disabilities. This year’s
theme is entitled “Profit by Investing in Workers with disabilities.”
According to Douglas Mitchell, Director of PersonnelPlus, ”our business strives to provide Athens County businesses with qualified and reliable workers who are eager to contribute their skills to the area workforce.”
Mitchell continued that “regardless of disability, whether obvious or invisible, employees with disabilities can be an invaluable addition to any business, given the right supports.”
Mitchell indicated that many local businesses have realized the talents that workers with disabilities offer and have embraced these talents. Kroger of Athens is one such business who has partnered with PersonnelPlus by employing several workers with disabilities during the last several years.
Dave Shull, Store Manager, indicated that one of the biggest benefits for his store employees who have not been around people with disabilities is to learn to work with these individuals and realize they are just like anyone else. According to the Office of Disability Policy, “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 to “National Disability Employment Awareness Month.”