How you can honor Disability Employment Awareness Month

This week, Delaware officially proclaimed and recognized October as Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Gov. John Carney signed the proclamation at the State of Delaware Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit in Newark, where he also gave lunchtime remarks.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month observance was first declared by US Congress in 1988. This year’s NDEAM theme is “Advancing Access and Equity.” It honors the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which first prohibited disability discrimination by federal agencies.

Some things you can do at your workplace for NDEAM include:

• Starting a disability employee resource group if you don’t have one
• Sharing educational materials such as “disability etiquette” with employees
• Reviewing company policies regarding disabled employees

Some of the other awareness months observed in October include Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept.15 to Oct.15), LGBTQ+ History Month, ADHD Awareness Month, National Book Month and Cybersecurity Awareness Month.