Each June, the LGBT community and allies commemorate Pride Month, promoting dignity, inclusion and diversity within the community. In October, the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) to increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities by developing and influencing policies and practices.

 

NDEAM is a time to celebrate the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities and assess our progress toward building a workforce that welcomes the skills and talents of all individuals. The 2014 theme of NDEAM is “Expect. Employ. Empower.” “We all have a role to play in — and benefit to gain from — increasing opportunities for meaningful employment for people with disabilities,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathy Martinez. “A strong workforce is an inclusive workforce.”

We don’t always see the connections between the disability community and the LBGT community, but these communities have common experiences and goals and can find strength in working together. One of the areas where the disability and LBGT communities can work together is employment.

During NDEAM, LBGT employers are encouraged to recognize the indispensable contributions people with disabilities make in our economy and commit themselves to building inclusive workplaces by employing the talents of all qualified individuals.

Employers and employees in all industries can learn more about how to participate in NDEAM and ways they can promote its messages — during October and throughout the year — by visiting the ODEP website at www.dol.gov/odep/ to learn more about Working Together to Promote Inclusive Workplaces.

Photo of Kathy Martinez by the US Department of Labor.