DOL Announces 2007 National Disability Employment Awareness Month Theme
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced on May 29 that "Workers with Disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team!" will be the official 2007 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is observed in October nationwide by congressional designation. "The 2007 'Talent for a Winning Team' theme captures the heart of the president's New Freedom Initiative, which is that Americans with disabilities are an underutilized reservoir of ambition, talent, and skill ready to make great contributions in the workplace," Chao said.
The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) leads the nation's activities, and private sector; federal, state and local government; and advocacy organizations plan concurrent events and programs. "America's employers benefit when they provide opportunities for Americans with disabilities to work," said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for ODEP. "A winning team will include people with disabilities."
ODEP is the nation's first assistant secretary-led office that specifically addresses policies that impact the employment of people with disabilities.