What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is observed every October to celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities and encourage more accessible, inclusive workplaces. For HR, People and L&D teams, it is also a practical prompt to examine policies, hiring, learning and everyday employee experiences.

NDEAM creates an opportunity to recognize progress while focusing on the barriers that still exist in the workplace. The most meaningful observances pair awareness with specific action.

What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a U.S. observance that recognizes the contributions of workers with disabilities and promotes inclusive employment practices. It began in 1945 as a weeklong observance focused on people with physical disabilities. Congress expanded it into a month and renamed it National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 1988.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy administers NDEAM and selects its annual theme. The 2026 NDEAM theme is “Celebrating Value and Talent.” The observance includes people with visible and nonobvious disabilities, including mental health conditions.

When is National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is celebrated every October.

Why should organizations recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

Recognizing NDEAM can help organizations move disability inclusion from a general commitment to a practical workplace priority. It gives leaders a timely reason to listen to employees, identify barriers and review how recruiting, onboarding, development, technology and daily work affect people with disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990, prohibits disability discrimination. Title I applies to employers with 15 or more employees and requires equal access to employment opportunities, including recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay and social activities. Legal compliance is a baseline. A genuinely inclusive workplace also considers whether employees can participate, contribute and grow throughout the employee experience.

How should people-first organizations celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

The Department of Labor offers ideas for recognizing NDEAM during October and throughout the year. HR, People and L&D teams can adapt those ideas to their workforce and priorities:

• Involve employees with disabilities. Invite a disability-related employee resource group (ERG) or interested employees to help shape plans, without pressuring anyone to disclose a disability or represent an entire community.
• Review physical and digital accessibility. Examine workplaces, recruiting systems, internal tools, meetings and learning experiences for barriers. Create a clear way for employees and candidates to share feedback.
• Make accommodation processes easier to understand. Remind employees and managers where to find policies, how to request support and who can answer questions.
• Prepare managers. Give supervisors practical guidance on inclusive communication, accessible meetings, accommodations and their role in creating a supportive culture.
• Host accessible learning. Offer live learning led by disability experts or advocates, and plan for captions, accessible materials, multiple participation options and time for questions.
• Support career development. Consider mentoring, job shadowing, sponsorship or career conversations that help employees with disabilities build relationships and access growth opportunities.
• Review hiring and onboarding. Check whether job descriptions, applications, interviews and onboarding activities are accessible and focused on the essential requirements of each role.

How can disability inclusion continue throughout the year?

Although National Disability Employment Awareness Month takes place in October, disability inclusion must be a year-round initiative. Awareness matters, but progress requires listening, learning and meaningful action.

Use October to identify a small number of commitments with clear owners and follow-up dates. Those commitments might include improving accessibility, clarifying accommodation processes, strengthening manager learning or tracking whether employees can participate fully in development opportunities. Then share progress with employees and continue inviting feedback.

‍

‍

Looking for more holidays? Click the month you want to see:

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | Full-Year Overview