October Marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (“NDEAM”), an annual event highlighting the impact and contributions of people with disabilities on the American workforce. Gravel & Shea joins the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (“ODEP”) in recognizing NDEAM.
In his 1948 proclamation dedicated to the celebration, President Harry S. Truman urged Americans to realize the importance of employing people with disabilities as a “means of bringing opportunity for economic independence and full participation in our democratic life.”
According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 37.4 percent of persons aged 16-64 with a disability were employed in 2024, a slight increase from the year prior. In a 2023 Harvard Business Review article, researchers identified four major advantages for businesses that employ persons with disabilities:
(1) Disabilities often confer unique talents that make people better at particular jobs; (2) the presence of employees with disabilities elevates the culture of the entire organization, making it more collaborative and boosting productivity; (3) a reputation for inclusiveness enhances a firm’s value proposition with customers, who become more willing to build long-term relationships with the company; (4) being recognized as socially responsible gives a firm an edge in the competition for capital and talent.
Vermont employers are well positioned to benefit from the business and cultural advantages of having people with disabilities on their teams. Governor Scott’s Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities serves as the link between the government and businesses that wish to tap into the underutilized talent pool of valuable potential employees. Non-governmental organizations such as HireAbility Vermont also work with community organizations and individuals to help Vermonters with disabilities to increase the share of workers with disabilities throughout the state. One beneficiary of HireAbility Vermont’s work put it best – “it’s not just about getting a job. It’s about building a future that works for you.”
When employing people with disabilities in Vermont, employers should be keenly aware of their responsibilities and legal obligations to those employees under federal and state law. Employees with disabilities are entitled to protection from discrimination and often require reasonable accommodations in the workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
While a cultural commitment to increasing opportunity for all Vermonters, regardless of their disabilities, is vital, compliance with the laws that aim to create equitable workplaces is crucial. Our team at Gravel & Shea has committed to fostering a disability-friendly workplace culture and are here to help Vermont employers do the same.
Please contact Heather Hammond (hhammond@gravelshea.com) or Chris M. Bohórquez (cbohorquez@gravelshea.com) at Gravel & Shea PC if you have questions or would like assistance
