Board Proclaims October as Disability Employment Awareness Month

Disability Employment Awareness Month educates the public about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions workers with disabilities make in Prince William County.

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently proclaimed Oct. 2022 as Disability Employment Awareness Month in the county.

The employment rate among people with disabilities is about twice as high as for people without disabilities.

The board’s proclamation aimed to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as the state and local disability rights laws that are in place to guarantee people with disabilities the rights and freedom to work and earn a living.

In marking the 77^th anniversary of Disability Employment Awareness Month, with this year’s theme “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation,” the board recognized that people with disabilities have the right to “maximize their full potential as intelligent, talented and capable employees in an environment free of physical, logistical, and discriminatory barriers.” A diverse workforce with full employment adds to the self-sufficiency of people with disabilities and plays a part in the county’s economic success.  

The proclamation also called for schools, employers and other community organizations to observe the month with programs and activities that advance the message that people with disabilities add value and talent to the county’s workplaces and communities.