Held each October since 1945, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is coordinated by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The theme for 2013 is “Because we are EQUAL to the task.”

President Barack Obama issued a proclamation announcing NDEAM, reading in part:

“Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we have made great progress in removing barriers for hardworking Americans.  Yet today, only 20 percent of Americans with disabilities, including veterans who became disabled while serving our country, participate in our labor force.”

For more information on NDEAM or resources, visit the ODEP website. For a list of events, visit The Campaign for Disability Employment‘s site.