News & Events

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent last month. Disability employment statistics for September show an unemployment rate of 13.5 percent among people with disabilities, down from 13.9 percent in August. The percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.1 percent, and the percentage of people with no disability in the labor force was 69.3 percent.

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $1,098,573 grant to the National Disability Institute to establish the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD). The LEAD Center will focus on improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It will hold policy and research initiatives on improving employment outcomes, including job retention, for people with disabilities.

Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?" Get NDEAM resources, download or order the NDEAM poster, and learn how you can help raise awareness about the importance of a more inclusive America, one where every person is recognized for his or her abilities.

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) will be hosting four weekly webinars during National Disability Employment Awareness Month on Thursdays in October from 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Find descriptions of the webinars, choose those you want to participate in and register online.

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with college students and recent graduates with disabilities looking for jobs. Read the stories of six federal employees who found their path to government service through WRP and were profiled by its "I Am the Workforce" Photo Project. These stories show the broad cross section of skills and talents available to employers who choose to hire through WRP.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the winners of its disability employment application contest. The contest challenged developers to build tools to help improve job opportunities for people with disabilities using public resources and employment data. Three winners were chosen for developing applications that demonstrated innovation, usability and accessibility. Check out the three winning apps: "Access Jobs", "VoisPal-Speak as You Think!" and "AccDC: Accelerated Dynamic Content".

NCD Chairman Jonathan Young released a response to the Washington Times August 22, 2012 editorial, which portrays the U.S. Department of Justice's hiring initiative of more Americans with disabilities as "crazy." Young states that the editorial uses both stereotypical and incorrect definitions of "disability." He also points out that the editorial is inaccurate in its interpretation of Executive Order 13548, which promotes the hiring of Americans with disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a grant to SEDL of Austin, TX, to help people with disabilities through a Center on Knowledge Translation of Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The grant will help disability and rehabilitation researchers develop resources, training and technical assistance to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The goals of the project will be integration, employment and self-sufficiency so individuals with disabilities can achieve their full potential.

The U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Report Americans with Disabilities: 2010 finds that of the 303.9 million people in the 2010 population of the United States, 56.7 million, or 18.7 percent, reported some level of disability. Of those, 38.3 million, or 12.6 percent of all people, reported a severe disability. This link opens a PDF document.

Find resources for people living with HIV/AIDS who are planning to get a new job or return to work. Includes information about requesting reasonable accommodations and success stories of people living with HIV/AIDS making valuable contributions to the workplace and their communities. For more information read Employment & HIV/AIDS: A Resource Guide.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?” Order free posters and other resources to help with your celebration events.