Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
October is full of spooky ghosts and charming ghouls, football games and caramel apples, popcorn balls and bonfires. It’s a time to rake leaves and carve pumpkins, but with all the hubbub of Halloween and the World Series, it’s easy to miss that October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).
What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)?
Celebrated every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to recognize workers with disabilities, acknowledging all they do to contribute to the economy and workplace.
This year’s theme, Advancing Access & Equity, is a great reminder to commit to giving equal opportunities to all employees, equipping everyone with the tools they need to succeed in the workforce.
NDEAM and ADA Signage
One way you as a business owner can acknowledge National Disability Employment Awareness Month is by evaluating your signage!
Maybe you recently moved, or maybe you installed signs so long ago you weren’t thinking about ADA regulations. Take some time now to assess how you’re doing.
Be sure to check the signs around:
Restrooms
Emergency Exits
Parking Facilities
Entryways
Elevators
Are they clearly visible and legible? Do they include braille? Are they hung at the proper height?
A quick word from Jon Pendexter on the pitfalls of DIY ADA signage:
“I recommend you go with a professional organization over buying ADA signs online. You can have text too large, or too small—the window is 5/8 of an inch to 2 inch max. But you can also break the law just by using lowercase letters! You don’t know what you don’t know. Plus, when you order online, you run the risk of installing them incorrectly.
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Don’t forget—you can add plenty of personality to your ADA signage, just as long as it’s also compliant!
Looking for other ways to observe NDEAM? Find more ideas from the U.S. Department of Labor.
