WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that “Increasing Access and Opportunity” is the 2020 theme for October’s annual observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

This year is the nation’s 75th observance of NDEAM, which is administered by the Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The observance culminates the Department’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the American Staffing Association (ASA) have formed an alliance to advance employment of people with disabilities in the staffing, recruiting and workforce solutions industry. Each year, the industry hires an estimated 16 million temporary and contract workers in the U.S.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today announced funding awards under its Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Youth Solutions initiative, which aims to identify and evaluate strategies for improving employment outcomes for young adults from ages 14 to 24 who apply for or receive SSI.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has selected five National Provider Organizations (NPOs) to participate in its National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON) initiative to increase competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that CVS Health and PepsiCo have received Gold Awards in the department’s inaugural Excellence in Disability Inclusion (EDI) Awards program, which recognizes federal contractors that demonstrate excellence in making their workforce inclusive for people with disabilities.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has selected 12 states and the District of Columbia to participate in its Visionary Opportunities to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment (VOICE) initiative. The chosen participants will receive support to help them develop policy designed to increase employment opportunities for people with mental health disabilities.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today announced a new competitive initiative to identify and evaluate potential solutions to improve employment outcomes for young adults ages 14 to 24 who apply for or receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today announced plans for a yearlong celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Centered around the theme of “Increasing Access and Opportunity,” commemoration activities will include events, speeches and new compliance assistance resources. The ADA’s anniversary will serve as a key component of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) observance in October.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia and Deputy Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella joined mental health advocates today at an event marking National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) at the U.S. Department of Labor’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, DC - President Donald J. Trump today issued a proclamation recognizing October 2019 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), initiating a series of coast-to-coast events and activities to honor the contributions workers with disabilities make to America's workplaces and economy. The theme for 2019 is "The Right Talent, Right Now."

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has extended the application submission deadline for its Excellence in Disability Inclusion (EDI) Awards to November 1. Employers who have already submitted an application may update it if desired.

The EDI Awards will recognize federal contractors who excel in this regard through two levels of recognition:

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the award of $4 million for a four-year cooperative agreement to operate a policy development center focused on youth with disabilities. The center will build on the work of the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced the awarding of $2 million to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, for the first year of a 4-year cooperative agreement to operate an employer-focused disability policy development and technical assistance center. This center will build upon the prior work of ODEP’s Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN).

WASHINGTON, DC – In light of the 29th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella sent letters to America's governors encouraging them to collect data on the numbers of state employees with disabilities. Although not a requirement for states, tracking disability employment data allows states to better assess their hiring practices and compare their results with other states. Currently, only a few states routinely track this information.

WASHINGTON, DC - To help employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability nondiscrimination laws and regulations, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy-sponsored Job Accommodation Network (JAN) developed the Workplace Accommodation Toolkit.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced it will establish the Excellence in Disability Inclusion (EDI) Awards for federal contractors that demonstrate excellence in including people with disabilities in their workforces. The EDI awards program is sponsored jointly by the Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced "The Right Talent, Right Now" as the theme for the 2019 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

The 2019 theme emphasizes the essential role that people with disabilities play in America's economic success, especially in an era when historically low unemployment and global competition are creating a high demand for skilled talent. The Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) administers NDEAM.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $4 million for a four-year cooperative agreement for a youth-focused disability policy development center. The solicitation is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement. The deadline to apply is July 23, 2019.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $2 million in funds for the first year of a cooperative agreement for an employer-focused disability policy development and technical assistance center. The solicitation is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement. The deadline to apply is June 24, 2019.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new resource that helps employers better understand mental health issues, and provides guidance on how to cultivate a work environment that supports employees with related conditions.