BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:Title
Adopt a Resolution Declaring October, 2022, as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Recognizing the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
End
RECOMMENDATION:Recommendation
Adopt the RESOLUTION DECLARING OCTOBER, 2022, AS NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, AND RECOGNIZING THE 32ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
Body
SUMMARY:
Ability Awareness, a Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) Employee Resource Group (ERG), in collaboration with staff from the Office of Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion, recommends the Board formally acknowledge and declare October 2022, as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and recognize the 32nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The history of NDEAM dates back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to NDEAM. The NDEAM theme for 2022 is "Disability: Part of the Equity Equation."
The ADA, a comprehensive piece of civil rights legislation in America that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else in all areas of public life, was signed into law in 1990. It is modeled after and affords similar protections as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Distinct from the Civil Rights Act, however, the ADA also requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations. Valley Water's Reasonable Accommodation program is available for staff with qualified disabilities and complies with the ADA law.
This year th...
Click here for full text