October Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
A message from the Dean's Office.
October is a busy time! Members of our Tepper School community are preparing for finals, homecoming, and many are starting to think ahead to the holiday season. October is also full of many important observances we should take time to acknowledge and honor no matter how busy we find ourselves. One of which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). In the United States, disabilities affect one in every four adults.
NDEAM is a time to recognize the challenges that people with disabilities encounter related to employment and provides an opportunity for able-bodied and able-minded people to learn more about the reality of living and working with a disability. This observance first began as a seven-day effort in October declared as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. Congress would eventually expand the week into an entire month and change the name to be more inclusive of individuals with disabilities beyond physical ones.
The NDEAM theme for this year is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation,” which recognizes the critical role persons with disabilities bring to workforce diversity and inclusion. In the last year, unemployment for persons with a disability dropped from 10.8% to 7.9%. Compared to unemployment for persons without a disability (3.7%), there is still much work to be done. A vast majority of persons with disabilities still face barriers to inclusion and equitable access.
Looking for ways to honor NDEAM? Visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s 31 Days of NDEAM for suggestions on how you can get involved.
For more information and to learn more about how Carnegie Mellon works to provide accommodations to help our community members accomplish their best work, visit the Office of Disabilities Resources.
Thank you for honoring NDEAM with me this month and all year round. It truly takes an effort from every one of us to make our world a better place to live and thrive. As always, thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Tepper School community.
Sincerely,
Isabelle Bajeux
Tepper School Dean
