National Disability Employment Awareness Month

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  • By 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
The U.S. Department of Labor developed the theme for this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “America’s Workforce: Empowering All.” The DEOMI design team watermarked the image of the International Symbol of Access, also known as the (International) Wheelchair Symbol, as the backdrop of the poster which consists of a blue square overlaid in white with an image of a person in a wheelchair. The theme is highlighted in white letters “America’s Workforce: Empowering All.” Within the word ALL are international icons representing different types of disabilities. Congress originally declared the first week of October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week” in 1945. Later, in 1962, the observance dropped the word “physically” to acknowledge that not all disabilities are physical. Federal legislature expanded the observance to a month in 1988, and officially changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.