U.S. Department of Labor Launches New Public Service Announcement Highlighting Importance and Value of Employees with Disabilities

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its annual commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), the U.S. Department of Labor today launched a new public service announcement (PSA) that highlights the importance of helping workers who become ill or injured remain active in America's workforce.

Featuring baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., the PSA, entitled "Working Works," highlights four individuals sharing their own stories of working together with employers, healthcare professionals, and others to ensure that continued employment is part of the conversation early and often during the recovery process. Ripken appears with former Baltimore Orioles head athletic trainer, Richie Bancells, who supported Ripken's efforts to overcome injuries and set the Major League Baseball record of 2,632 consecutive games played.

"National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to emphasize the importance of ensuring all Americans, including Americans with disabilities, can put their skills and talents to work," said Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy. "This public service announcement illustrates how the nation's job creators and workers who experience illness or injury can work together to empower America's workforce."

Working Works is the fourth in a series of PSAs produced by the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE), a collaborative effort funded by the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) among disability advocacy and business organizations to change attitudes about disability and employment. View the PSAs and learn more about the CDE.

Each October, NDEAM celebrates employers who are committed to a workplace that welcomes qualified people with disabilities. Learn more about the 2018 NDEAM observance, including the event's official 2018 poster.