Summit Future Foundation recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Since 1945, October has been a time to recognize and celebrate American workers with disabilities. While there is much to celebrate, NDEAM is also a time to educate about disability employment issues. 

Nearly 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, and according to a 2020 study, 17.9% of disabled adults were employed. That is compared to the 61.8% of employed non-disabled people. Not only are employment rates lower for disabled adults, but working wages are also much lower compared to non-disabled workers. The median income of a household with a disabled working adult is about 25% less than the average American household income. This significant difference could be from disabled workers only getting hired part-time, or that people with disabilities are often paid far less than minimum wage.

Summit Future Foundation is devoted to creating awareness while also acting on the inequalities in the workplace. 

Here’s how:

• We guide businesses and help implement policies to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace. 

• We offer half day training experiences to improve hiring practices.

• Individual consultations to promote inclusion at all levels of an organization

• Provide opportunities for the youth with disabilities by offering work-based learning experiences

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act is in place to protect the rights of people with disabilities and provide equal opportunities, there are still many flaws, such as the low employment rates and pay differences.

Regardless of ability, Summit Future Foundation believes every person should be given the opportunity to participate and utilize their full potential within their community.