EARN Newsletter: July 2025

EARN in Action

Marking 35 Years of the ADA

This month marks the 35^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law on July 26, 1990, this landmark legislation works to open doors of opportunity for people with disabilities across all sectors of society, including the workplace. EARN advances the ADA by assisting America’s employers in fostering workplaces that welcome the skills and talents of people with disabilities.

Exploring Talent Development

Work-based learning opportunities, such as internships and apprenticeships, can provide paths to employment for people with disabilities. They also offer employers a way to build a talent pipeline of workers who are looking to join the workforce or explore new career fields. A brief from EARN explores these approaches to developing talent and meeting workforce needs, all within a company’s own culture and systems.

Fostering Worker Well-Being Through the “4 A’s”

Seeking best practices for supporting worker well-being? Learn about EARN’s “4 A’s” framework, which distills best practices into four key areas: building awareness and a supportive culture, providing accommodations, offering employee assistance, and ensuring access to treatment. Together, these four components help form a mental health-friendly workplace, and EARN’s Mental Health Toolkit offers strategies for implementing each.

The Latest

NDEAM 2025 Theme: “Celebrating Value and Talent”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced recently that the theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) 2025 will be “Celebrating Value and Talent.” Held each October, NDEAM honors the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities, and as part of the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary, this year’s observance will highlight the contributions of people with disabilities throughout American history.

Exploring Accommodations for Maritime Workers

An April 2025 Executive Order charged several federal agencies, including DOL, to revitalize America’s commercial shipbuilding capacity and expand the recruitment, training, and retention of the maritime workforce. In support, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), funded by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, recently released a new resource, “Accommodation Situations and Solutions: Maritime and Shipbuilding,” focused on accommodation solutions for workers in the industry.

Ask EARN

Spotlight

Disability Statistics

Are you interested in learning about the prevalence rates of disability in the U.S. and the employment of people with disabilities? EARN has a webpage where you can learn more about disability data, including why they are important, where to find them, and what they tell us. In addition to answering common questions, the page provides links to additional data sources.

The content in this newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.