(Background music begins and continues throughout video)

(A sequence of three photos appears as the narration begins. The first shows several engineers reviewing building plans at a construction site. One engineer is a wheelchair user. The second shows two people, one with a visual disability, seated at an office table having a conversation. The third shows several people in an open office setting working at a table. One person is a wheelchair user.)

Every day, people with disabilities can and do add value to America’s workplaces and economy.

(The words NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH appear one by one on the screen. The first letters of each word are in a different color to highlight the acronym NDEAM. Then, four animated characters with different disabilities appear to the right of the words, waving hello.)

Each October, during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, or “NDEAM,” we celebrate the contributions of these workers with disabilities.

(The four animated characters expand to take up the full screen, with each person’s attire illustrating their occupation. One is a man who uses a wheelchair typing on a laptop, one is a woman who works in health care and has a hearing aid, one is a woman who is a little person holding a portfolio and smartphone, and one is a construction worker who has a prosthetic arm and is wearing a hard hat.)

We also reaffirm our commitment to ensuring all Americans—including Americans with disabilities—can put their skills and talents to work.

(The animated characters then fade and the 2024 NDEAM poster appears piece by piece. Once complete, the poster is rectangular in shape and features a collage of six photos of diverse people with a range of disabilities working in various inclusive workplaces. These photos appear in colored circles against a blue-sky background. Underneath the photos on a white background is a graphic image of a black, winding road leading up to them. To the side of the road, the words “Access to Good Jobs for All” and “National Disability Employment Awareness Month” appear. In the upper right corner, “#NDEAM” and “dol.gov/odep” are displayed. In the lower right corner is the DOL seal with the words “Office of Disability Employment Policy, United States Department of Labor” next to it.)

Reflecting the importance of ensuring all workers, including disabled workers, have the opportunity to prepare for and obtain good jobs and grow and advance in their careers, the theme for NDEAM 2024 is “Access to Good Jobs for All.”

(The screen shows two animated hands, shaking in embrace, close up. It then zooms out to show many animated characters, both with and without disabilities, in an office environment. A whiteboard in the background has graphs on it.)

Indeed, a disability-inclusive workforce is a strong workforce, and today, more and more leading employers across the U.S. are realizing this—and reaping clear, bottom-line benefits as a result.

(The screen zooms in on the whiteboard, and one of the animated characters appears next to it as if she is giving a presentation. On the screen, words and graphics illustrating the statistics provided by the narrator appear.)

Specifically, companies identified as leaders in disability inclusion had, on average: 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit than their counterparts.

(A sequence of three photos appears. The first shows two people, one with a prosthetic leg, seated in an office having a conversation. The second shows two people working together at a computer. One person has a visual disability and types on the keyboard. The third shows a person in a medical office dressed in scrubs smiling at the camera and signing “interpreter” in American Sign Language.)

NDEAM is an annual opportunity to educate people about these benefits, celebrate progress made and—most importantly—commit to building a stronger, more equitable and inclusive workforce going forward.

(The U.S. Department of Labor seal and Office of Disability Employment Policy logo appear.)

It is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, or ODEP.

(Four animated characters meeting at a table appear; one by one, a sign appears in front of each that indicates which group they represent. These signs say ODEP, EMPLOYERS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES and GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. Icons then appear above them illustrating collaboration followed by the 2024 NDEAM poster.)

Each year, ODEP works closely with its partner organizations—including those representing employers, people with disabilities and their families, and government agencies—to develop a theme and assist organizations in participating.

This includes developing and distributing an annual poster.

(The NDEAM webpage appears. The words EMPLOYERS, EDUCATORS, YOUTH SERVICE PROFESSIONALS, BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, LABOR UNIONS, and DISABILITY ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS appear as they are said.)

But, the real spirit of NDEAM lies at the grassroots level, with activities and observances in workplaces and communities across the country.

Employers of all sizes and in all industries are encouraged to take part—as are educators and youth service professionals, business associations, labor unions and disability advocacy organizations.

(A generic search webpage appears. The URL dol.gov/NDEAM appears letter by letter, as if it is being typed into it.)

How can YOUR organization take part? There are lots of ways! Visit dol.gov/ndeam for inspiration.

(A variety of icons appear on screen representing people and communication, such as a smartphone, megaphone, microphone and computer.)

There, you’ll find concrete ideas for event planning and resources to help you get started.

(The 2024 NDEAM poster appears.)

And while on the site, be sure to order your free NDEAM poster, which is available in both English and Spanish.

(The Campaign for Disability Employment logo appears, along with two aminated characters looking at two screens, both showing pages of the Campaign’s website. The URL WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org then appears.)

The ODEP-funded Campaign for Disability Employment also offers a variety of resources that can help in planning NDEAM activities, including videos and discussion guides. To access them, visit WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org.

(The four animated characters from the start of the video appear. As they raise their hands in celebration, the words CELEBRATE, EDUCATE, REFLECT and REAFFIRM appear.)

However YOU choose to participate, NDEAM is a great time to CELEBRATE and EDUCATE. It’s a time to REFLECT and REAFFIRM.

(The 2024 NDEAM poster appears again, piece by piece.)

It’s a time to emphasize the importance of ensuring ALL Americans can gain skills and put them to work—for the good of themselves, their families, their communities and our nation’s economy.

(The U.S. Department of Labor seal and Office of Disability Employment Policy logo appear, followed by the URL dol.gov/NDEAM.)

It’s a time to commit to ensuring access to good jobs for all—every month, of every year.