By Ryan Hundt
This year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced that “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion” is the theme for October’s annual observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This theme reflects the importance of ensuring individuals with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Opening the door to opportunity for workers with disabilities is not just a goal, it is a responsibility. Implementing sound and innovative policies that improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities is especially important because this population continues to be markedly underrepresented in the U.S. workforce. Employment gives individuals a sense of purpose and self-worth. For many, it defines who they are and is a source of justifiable pride.
Ongoing harms caused by the pandemic have been especially evident for individuals with disabilities. Disruptions in education, employment, health care and social services have been amplified. Parents have taken on caregiving roles, while also stepping into new roles as special educators, speech therapists, behavior therapists, and more. These situations are exhausting, frustrating, and simply not feasible for many families.
During the pandemic, the strong and resilient disability community reached out to help and strongly advocate for each other. Social stories, video models, information sheets, and webinars were developed and shared to support those with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. Following is an example for people with a variety of disabilities.
Before the pandemic, workers with disabilities, especially those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, would often be placed into customer-facing jobs such as retail or hospitality. Getting people with disabilities back to work and retraining them for new jobs will be critical to rebuilding the economy.
There is a surprising silver lining to the pandemic regarding workers with disabilities – labor force participation among people with disabilities has increased since the pandemic started. In February 2020, according to the Kessler Foundation, the labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities is up to 35.4 percent.
This means that individuals with disabilities are finding pathways into the workforce. Remote work has become an accepted reality for thousands of workers. This has normalized a common accommodation request made by workers with disabilities. Employers are recognizing that workers with disabilities bring tremendous talent, skills, and knowledge to the workplace.
2021 marks the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was enacted and signed into law to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and access to opportunities as people without disabilities.
All individuals, regardless of disability, deserve the opportunity to be full members of their community where they can live, learn, work and play through all stages of life. Passing the ADA was one crucial step forward in that long journey. Thirty-one years later, we have come so far but we still have a long way to go.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates the ingenuity that people with disabilities bring to workplaces across the country. Ensuring that workplaces continue to include and accommodate individuals with disabilities will be an important part of the nation’s economic rebound.
For more information about National Disability Employment Awareness Month, as well as ideas for how your organization can participate, visit www.dol.gov/ndeam.