National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2010

Proclamation 8574 of October 1, 2010

National Disability Employment Awareness Month,
2010

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As Americans, we understand employment and economic
security are critical to fulfilling our hopes and
aspirations. We also know we are stronger when our
country and economy can benefit from the skills and
talents of all our citizens. No individual in our
Nation should face unnecessary barriers to success, and
no American with a disability should be limited in his
or her desire to work. During National Disability
Employment Awareness Month, we renew our focus on
improving employment opportunities and career pathways
that lead to good jobs and sound economic futures for
people with disabilities.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights
legislation that established a foundation of justice
and equal opportunity for individuals with
disabilities. In the two decades since its passage,
much progress has been made. However, Americans with
disabilities continue to be employed at a rate far
below Americans without disabilities, and they are
underrepresented in our Federal workforce.

My Administration is committed to ensuring people
living with disabilities have fair access to jobs so
they can contribute to our economy and realize their
dreams. To help achieve this goal, I signed an
Executive Order in July to increase Federal employment
of individuals with disabilities. This directive
requires Federal agencies to design model recruitment
and hiring strategies for people with disabilities, and
to implement programs to retain these public servants.
To ensure transparency and accountability, agencies
will report on their progress on hiring people with
disabilities, and the Office of Personnel Management
will post the results of agencies' efforts online for
public evaluation. As the Nation's largest employer,
the Federal Government can become a model employer by
increasing employment across America of individuals
with disabilities.

The 21st-century economy demands a highly educated
workforce equipped with the technology and skills to
maintain America's leadership in the global
marketplace. Technology has changed the way we work,
and the Federal Government is leveraging emerging,
assistive, and other workplace technologies to improve
the options available for everyone, including workers
with disabilities. We must improve the accessibility of
our workplaces and enable the collaboration and
contributions of every employee, and that is why I look
forward to signing into law the Twenty-First Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.
This legislation will greatly increase access to
technology, with advances in areas such as closed
captioning, delivery of emergencyinformation, video
description, and other advanced communications--all
essential tools for learning and working in today's
technological society.

Individuals with disabilities are a vital and dynamic
part of our Nation, and their contributions have
impacted countless lives. People with disabilities
bring immeasurablevalue to our workplaces, and we will
continue to address the challenges to employment that
must be overcome. This month, let us rededicate
ourselves to fostering equal access and fair
opportunity

in our labor force, and to capitalizing on the talent,
skills, and rich diversity of all our workers.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of
theUnited States, do hereby proclaim October 2010 as
National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I urge
all Americans to embrace the unique value that
individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces
and communities and to promoteeveryone's right to
employment.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.