October is a very busy month. Fall is just beginning. High School and College football are in full swing. It’s Gabe’s Birthday (More on that later this month in another blog) and October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month or NDEAM for short. The official theme for NDEAM 2024 is: Access to good jobs for all.

What began as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week” in 1945 has expanded to the entire month of October with the mission of “Celebrating the value and talent that workers with disabilities add to America’s workplaces and economy.”
Since this year’s theme is access to good jobs for all, that begs the question: What constitutes a good job? According to a 2022 article in the Harvard Business Review, a good job is one that not only pays fairly and allows a worker to do what they’re good at but also makes them feel seen for being their best self.   

I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. Having a job means more than just earning a paycheck, although having money to spend at the end of the month is a nice perk and a strong motivation for hard work. For me, it is equally as pleasurable to receive a compliment when I am out in the community, that people enjoy reading my articles. In some small way, I hope my work helps to bring awareness to the disability community. When someone says, “I had no idea you could write like that”, it’s a great conversation starter about how people with disabilities have worth and make wonderful contributions to society.

Unfortunately, many people with disabilities do not have jobs, good or otherwise. According to the latest figures from the Department of Labor (August 2024) only 40 percent of people with disabilities aged 16-64 participated in the workforce. That’s compared to 78.2 percent of their able-bodied peers. We need to do better. Employers should realize that there is a ton of untapped potential in the disability community willing and eager to show what they have to offer.

For those who are disabled and looking for a job, I have found that Upworks and other similar job recruitment sites to be a valuable resource. Simply upload your resume and it will match you with employers looking for workers with your skill set. That’s how I started covering Liverpool soccer in England and I love it. It’s easy because I can watch the games online and I don’t have to rely on someone else to take me to games, stay and keep stats like they do when I am working for the local newspaper. I will never get rich from doing these jobs, but the pay is fair, meaning that it is competitive with other similar jobs listed.

Of course, some people may consider writing this blog a job and in some ways it is. Like working for the newspaper, I get to sit down at my computer keyboard and tell stories. But instead of simply reporting the action on the field or court, writing a monthly blog for Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats allows Gabe, my Chessie, to act as my muse. And oh boy, does he ever give me plenty of material. He will be three years old this month and I never thought I would find 36 different topics to cover, but together we have. I get the reward of letting my creative juices flow and Gabe is “Paid” with an abundance of Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats. This blog and writing in general means more to me than employment or statistics. Writing is my passion and a labor of love.

Gabe is always looking for fun and exciting new opportunities. He is never satisfied with doing the same old thing. Each day is a new adventure. I always give him affirmation and tell him, “Good Job” or “Good Boy” and pay him with plenty of hugs and Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats. I know the Harvard Business Review was talking about humans, but I think Gabe does what he’s best at every day and he is a big part of making me my best self. Keeping up with Gabe is a full-time job on top of my regular employment. I am blessed to have them both and I am hopeful that one day, everyone in the disability community will have the same opportunity to gain employment, not just 40 percent. As long as Gabe keeps giving me stories to tell, I will never retire.