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October
is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
President Bush
has proclaimed October as National Disability Employment Month (NDEM)
in order "to recognize the talents, skills, and dedication
of disabled Americans who are a vital part of our workforce."
This effort to educate the American public about issues related
to disability and employment actually began in 1945, when Congress
enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National
Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word
"physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment
needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities.
In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name
to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."
In observance of NDEM, here are a few "DOs" for managers
to keep in mind when dealing with disabled employees:
- Do learn
how to communicate with people who have disabilities.
- Do learn
where to find and recruit people with disabilities.
- Do provide
reasonable accommodations that the qualified applicant will need
to compete for the job.
- Do treat
an individual with a disability the same way you would treat any
applicant or employee with dignity and respect.
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