Jackson Heights, NY—National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) will take over October as companies and organizations worldwide prepare various programs to acknowledge the significance. Spearheaded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Labor Department, NDEAM was declared and enacted by Congress in 1945—dedicated to those with disabilities in the work community or seeking employment around the globe.

The United Spinal Association will participate in recognizing NDEAM—already being an organization and advocate for veterans and persons with spinal cord injuries. Programs within the organization, such as housing, transportation, and social security advocacy, are a reflection of the dedication and effort that is brought forth to raise awareness about people with disabilities. United Spinal has also contributed in many ways to support the disability community—the biggest contribution being helping to draft parts of the Americans with Disabilities Act that every business must comply with.

“Most times, a person with a disability is overlooked as incapable of performing certain jobs, participating in specific events and so forth—the awareness is extremely important to us and should be acknowledged by everyone,” stated United Spinal’s President, Paul J. Tobin.

The Disability Etiquette handbook, published by United Spinal, is a very resourceful tool. Often, employees are in a position where they will work with someone who has a disability and may not know how to approach the individual, what to say, or how to say it—this can be uncomfortable. The handbook fully explains how to handle certain situations, approaching someone with a disability, and the do’s and don’ts. There are three important factors stressed in this book:

• Be sensitive,
• Think before you speak, and
• Don’t make assumptions.

Persons with disabilities are regular people just like anyone else–they deserve to be respected and treated on the same level in the workplace environment.