The provincial government has officially declared October as Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Minister Gerry Byrne signed the document at the Avalon Employment Office this morning.

The month recognizes the contributions of workers with disabilities, and employers who promote inclusion.

Byrne says people with disabilities make tremendous contributions to the community, and that sums up the function of the month.

He says it is to bring awareness to those contributions, and to attract more employers to the programs that bring people with disabilities into the workforce.

Employers are being encouraged to learn more as Disability Employment Awareness Month is officially proclaimed today.

Community Connector with Avalon Employment, Courtney Abbott says inclusive hiring brings a variety of benefits, not just to the employee but the employer as well.

She calls it an “untapped labour market” and believes that more companies would hire people with disabilities if they had a better understanding of the benefits.

She says there isn’t a lot of understanding about what accommodations are, and what kind of accommodations are offered. She says workers with disabilities are proven to be hard workers, “they show up on time, (and) they are more committed to their employment.”