October is Disability Employment Awareness Month! This month is meant to acknowledge, celebrate, and commemorate the contributions of employees with disabilities at companies and organizations across the country. It is also meant to raise awareness of employment-related issues that are unique to people with disabilities.
Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates and supports inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit both employee and employer. 2023 also welcomes the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Rehab Act was the first federal law to address civil rights for people with disabilities, including in employment. It helped to usher in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
In 2022, the percentage of people with disabilities that were employed rose by more than 2 percent from 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Still, across all age groups, the unemployment rate for employees with a disability was about twice as high as the rate for employees without a disability.
Barriers to employment for people with disabilities include inaccessible work environments, ableism, stigma, and bias. Resources like disability justice organizations, human resources, and assistive technology can help people with disabilities gain employment and be included and supported at work.
This year, the theme of Disability Employment Awareness Month is “Advancing Access and Equity,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor. For Mobius Mobility, this means providing technology that helps people with mobility disabilities live free from everyday barriers like curbs, high shelves, and stairs, and lets them be at eye level with their peers and coworkers. It also means supporting and honoring the skills and contributions of our own employees with disabilities, this month and every month.
We are committed to ensuring that our employees with disabilities have an equal opportunity to succeed and thrive at work. Mobius Mobility is proud to hire and have a working team of differently abled persons. We also regularly hold trainings with our staff on the topics of disability FAQs and disability-inclusive language.
The iBOT® helps to break down the obstacles that people face while navigating inaccessible environments, including at work. Mobius Mobility has helped wheelchair users obtain their iBOT® through vocational rehab: a service designed to help people with disabilities achieve or maintain employment. iBOT® users have gained employment through the use of their iBOT®, working in environments like construction sites, offices with stairs and high shelves, and farms.
For more information on the iBOT® and to speak with our community manager, call 833-346-4268 or email info@mobiusmobility.com.
