Although helping Americans with disabilities find work is a year-round focus, October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and validates the contributions of workers with disabilities.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month's roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed, acknowledging the contributions of people with all forms of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."

The theme for 2011is "Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities," which promotes the valuable contributions people with disabilities make to America's workplaces and economy.