Disablement in Slovenia: Disablement in Slovenia: employment issuesemployment issues

Natalija Jesenicnik Natalija Jesenicnik YHD- Association for theory and YHD- Association for theory and

culture of disabilityculture of disabilityLondon Oct.2007London Oct.2007

Research Research in in the the field of employment:field of employment: a review of legislation dealing with employment of a review of legislation dealing with employment of

disabled peopledisabled people;;

qualitative qualitative research from 2006research from 2006:: questionnaires for all rehabilitation counselors at questionnaires for all rehabilitation counselors at

Employment service of SloveniaEmployment service of Slovenia;; interviews with providers of vocational rehabilitationinterviews with providers of vocational rehabilitation; ; ““Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities”, Darja Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities”, Darja

Zavirsek and Spela Urh; national report for EU Monitoring Zavirsek and Spela Urh; national report for EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program of the Open Society Institute in and Advocacy Program of the Open Society Institute in cooperation with Open Society Mental Health Initiative. cooperation with Open Society Mental Health Initiative.

Disability companiesDisability companies First disability companies were established in First disability companies were established in

Slovenia in 1988 Slovenia in 1988 AAt least 40% of all the employees must be t least 40% of all the employees must be

disableddisabled Currently: 166 disability companies, 13.580 Currently: 166 disability companies, 13.580

employed inemployed in disability companies, 6.348 disability companies, 6.348 disabled personsdisabled persons

IIn 2005 the average gross income of disabled n 2005 the average gross income of disabled workers was 32,2 % lower than average gross workers was 32,2 % lower than average gross income of nondisabled workers in disability income of nondisabled workers in disability companiescompanies (Ministry of work, family and social affairs)(Ministry of work, family and social affairs) . .

Number of disabled people in Slovenia (31.12.2005, Employment Service)

Number Number of of

disableddisabled

%%

All disabledAll disabled 161.856161.856 8,1 % of whole population8,1 % of whole population

Retired Retired (without age (without age retired)retired)

Retired on a base of disabilityRetired on a base of disability 96.60096.600 66.8 % of all disabled 66.8 % of all disabled

Disabled before 18. years oldDisabled before 18. years old 7.5577.557

militarymilitary 4.037 4.037

Employed:Employed: In regular work environmentIn regular work environment 22.86422.864 54.8 % of all disabled on 54.8 % of all disabled on labor market labor market

(there is 53.662 disabled (there is 53.662 disabled persons on labor market)persons on labor market)

In disability companiesIn disability companies 6.5546.554

In evidence of In evidence of Employment Employment Service of Service of SloveniaSlovenia

In evidence of unemployed In evidence of unemployed personspersons

9.1359.135 17,0 % of all disabled on 17,0 % of all disabled on labor market labor market

In evidence of unemployed In evidence of unemployed according to other lawsaccording to other laws

15.10915.109 28,2 % of all disabled on 28,2 % of all disabled on labor market labor market

Number of unemployed disabled Number of unemployed disabled people people (Employment Service)(Employment Service)

By yearBy year All unemployedAll unemployed Unemployed Unemployed disableddisabled

19901990 44.62344.623 2.1672.167

19921992 102.593102.593 4.1264.126

19941994 127.056127.056 5.5645.564

19961996 119.799119.799 8.6718.671

19981998 126.080126.080 12.52812.528

20002000 106.601106.601 17.17917.179

20032003 95.99395.993 22.11222.112

20052005 92.57592.575 24.24724.247

Comparison between unemployment rate of disabled Comparison between unemployment rate of disabled persons and general unemployment rate by the end of persons and general unemployment rate by the end of

2006 (Employment Service)2006 (Employment Service)

100

229,9284,7 268,5 282,6

238,9 215,1 207,5 175,5100

190,4256,8

400,1

578,1

792,8

1.020,40

1.118,90 1.134,90

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2003 2005 2006

ind

eks

Vsi brezposelni Vsi invalidi

Vocational Rehabilitation and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Disabled Persons ActEmployment of Disabled Persons Act

(ZZRZI)(ZZRZI) By this law, disabled person is an individual who hasBy this law, disabled person is an individual who has:: permanent consequences of a physical or mental injury or illness permanent consequences of a physical or mental injury or illness difficulties with activities that have influence on person’s difficulties with activities that have influence on person’s

employment andemployment and inclusion barriers into working environment as defined in inclusion barriers into working environment as defined in

International International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health The status of disabled person by this law can get a person that The status of disabled person by this law can get a person that

doesn’t have status of disabled person by any other regulations and doesn’t have status of disabled person by any other regulations and is registered as unemployed person at Employment service of is registered as unemployed person at Employment service of Slovenia. Slovenia.

Quota systemQuota system Fund for Promoting the Employment of the Disabled Fund for Promoting the Employment of the Disabled from 2006from 2006

directs the implementation of quota system directs the implementation of quota system Employers withEmployers with more than 20 employees are obliged to fulfill the quota by more than 20 employees are obliged to fulfill the quota by

employing, a contract on business co-operation between employer and employing, a contract on business co-operation between employer and disability company or employment centre or by paying the amount of disability company or employment centre or by paying the amount of moneymoney

2 % quota for: 2 % quota for: fishing industry, commerce, repairs of vehicles and consumer goodsfishing industry, commerce, repairs of vehicles and consumer goods,, catering, catering,

financial agencies, public administration, defense, mandatory health security and financial agencies, public administration, defense, mandatory health security and other public, joint and personal services; other public, joint and personal services;

4 4 % quota for:% quota for: construction industryconstruction industry,, transport, storage and communications transport, storage and communications,, real-estate real-estate

business, lease, rent and other businesslike services and education; business, lease, rent and other businesslike services and education;

6 % quota for: 6 % quota for: agriculture, hunting, forestry, mining industry, processing activities, supply with agriculture, hunting, forestry, mining industry, processing activities, supply with

electricity, gas and water, health carelectricity, gas and water, health caree and social security and social security..

ZZRZI also introduced:ZZRZI also introduced:

Supported employmentSupported employment Protected employmentProtected employment- - Employment Employment

CentersCenters Vocational rehabilitation Vocational rehabilitation Employment in disability companies Employment in disability companies Incentives for employmentIncentives for employment

Supported and protected Supported and protected employmentemployment

Supported employment of disabled persons in regular work Supported employment of disabled persons in regular work environment with professional and technical support of person, environment with professional and technical support of person, employer and work environment. employer and work environment.

Protected employment for disabled people who were estimated not Protected employment for disabled people who were estimated not capable to work in regular work environment, and is carried out in so capable to work in regular work environment, and is carried out in so called “employment centres”. called “employment centres”.

According to Fund for promoting employment of disabled till October According to Fund for promoting employment of disabled till October 2007 only one realised supported employment 2007 only one realised supported employment

BBy July 2007 14 Employment Centres were established with 160 y July 2007 14 Employment Centres were established with 160 employeesemployees ..

Social inclusion programmesSocial inclusion programmes

Those people, who are in the process of evaluation of Those people, who are in the process of evaluation of their work ability estimated as not employable, can enter their work ability estimated as not employable, can enter social inclusion programmes which are carried out by social inclusion programmes which are carried out by 21 21 organizations who became concessionaires. organizations who became concessionaires.

Act Concerning Social Care of Mentally and Act Concerning Social Care of Mentally and Physically Handicapped PersonsPhysically Handicapped Persons assigns the status of assigns the status of disabled person to children with moderate, severe or disabled person to children with moderate, severe or profound intellectual or physicalprofound intellectual or physical disability and with that disability and with that status they can’t qualify for independent living and work- status they can’t qualify for independent living and work- they are excluded from the labour marketthey are excluded from the labour market

Vocational rehabilitationVocational rehabilitation

Employment Service of Slovenia with Employment Service of Slovenia with rehabilitation commissionsrehabilitation commissions

network of providers of vocational network of providers of vocational rehabilitation: one public institution and 12 rehabilitation: one public institution and 12 concessionaires, who gain concession for concessionaires, who gain concession for four yearsfour years

Services that are being carried out in the frame of Services that are being carried out in the frame of vocational rehabilitation are:vocational rehabilitation are:

a) counseling, promoting and motivating disabled persons for taking more active parta) counseling, promoting and motivating disabled persons for taking more active part b) preparing opinion about work ability, knowledge, working habits and occupational b) preparing opinion about work ability, knowledge, working habits and occupational

interestsinterests c) help at accepting own disability and informing about possibilities of inclusion in c) help at accepting own disability and informing about possibilities of inclusion in

training and worktraining and work d) help at choosing suitable occupational goalsd) help at choosing suitable occupational goals e) developing social skills e) developing social skills f) help at searching suitable work or employmentf) help at searching suitable work or employment g) analysis of concrete working place and working environment of disabled persong) analysis of concrete working place and working environment of disabled person h) making a plan of adjustments for working place and working environment of h) making a plan of adjustments for working place and working environment of

disabled persondisabled person i) making a plan of needed equipment and means of worki) making a plan of needed equipment and means of work j) on the job trainingj) on the job training k) coaching and professional help at training and in educationk) coaching and professional help at training and in education l) coaching of disabled person on work place after employmentl) coaching of disabled person on work place after employment m) evaluation of rehabilitation process m) evaluation of rehabilitation process n) evaluation of achievement of work results of disabled personsn) evaluation of achievement of work results of disabled persons

Scheme of the process of vocational rehabilitation

(Employment Service of Slovenia) Disability status and the right to vocational rehabilitation

ESSRehabilitation

counsellor

application

rehabilitation commission

opinion rehabilitation plan

VOCATIONAL

REHABILITATION

preliminary opinion

Providers of vocational

rehabilitation

Services of vocational

rehabilitation

decision about disability status

decision about the right to vocational rehabilitation

Final assessment of disabled person’s employment possibilitiesEMPLOYABLE NOT

EMPLOYABLE

Programmes of social inclusion

Ordinary work environment

Labour market

Disability companies

Supported employment

Protected employment

EMPLOYMENT CENTERS

Sheltered workshopsSheltered workshopsReport on Rights of People with Intellectual DisabilitiesReport on Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities

Sheltered workshops serve as a social welfare service for adults with disabilities, Sheltered workshops serve as a social welfare service for adults with disabilities, providing “guidance, care and employment under special conditions”. The term providing “guidance, care and employment under special conditions”. The term “employment under special conditions” refers to work (including producing “employment under special conditions” refers to work (including producing goods) and also to the development of skills and work habits. goods) and also to the development of skills and work habits.

In 2004 there were 29 public sheltered workshops in Slovenia, comprising 15 In 2004 there were 29 public sheltered workshops in Slovenia, comprising 15 independent workplaces: five in centres for social work, five in special schools independent workplaces: five in centres for social work, five in special schools and five in training institutions.and five in training institutions.

In 2001 over 2000 people with intellectual disabilities (mostly of a moderate In 2001 over 2000 people with intellectual disabilities (mostly of a moderate degree) were working in sheltered workplaces degree) were working in sheltered workplaces

Most of the workers in sheltered workshops are men between 26 and 36 years Most of the workers in sheltered workshops are men between 26 and 36 years old old

On average the award is between 17 € and 83On average the award is between 17 € and 83 € per month € per month

Example of good practice Example of good practice

RecommendationsRecommendations We can say that the new law doesn’t stimulate people to test their We can say that the new law doesn’t stimulate people to test their

abilities in practice or to try to find work using services introduced by abilities in practice or to try to find work using services introduced by new law no matter what their formal status is or their so called type new law no matter what their formal status is or their so called type of disability. Access to services and programmes dealing with job of disability. Access to services and programmes dealing with job insertion should be based on concreteinsertion should be based on concrete,, individual needs of a person individual needs of a person and not on a formal status she or he has.and not on a formal status she or he has.

There should be changes made about the rigidity of our legal There should be changes made about the rigidity of our legal system regarding easier access from social security system to paid system regarding easier access from social security system to paid employment and vice versa. People should have a chance to test employment and vice versa. People should have a chance to test themselves in paid employment without a fear of loosing all social themselves in paid employment without a fear of loosing all social benefits after it.benefits after it.

Greater emphasis should me made and more support in practice Greater emphasis should me made and more support in practice should be given to employment of people with disabilities in regular should be given to employment of people with disabilities in regular work environment.work environment.

There should be better system of collecting data on the field of There should be better system of collecting data on the field of employment of disabled. The lack of official data is an important barrier employment of disabled. The lack of official data is an important barrier to assessing the situation of people with disabilities in Slovenia, to assessing the situation of people with disabilities in Slovenia, especially the situation of people with intellectual disabilities.especially the situation of people with intellectual disabilities.

Services of vocational rehabilitation and all the programmes dealing Services of vocational rehabilitation and all the programmes dealing with insertion of disabled people on the labour market should be with insertion of disabled people on the labour market should be evaluated and providers of vocational rehabilitation should follow up evaluated and providers of vocational rehabilitation should follow up what is happening with a person after he or she finished the what is happening with a person after he or she finished the programme and give them support and help at searching a job.programme and give them support and help at searching a job.

There should be incentives to encourage programmes and projects There should be incentives to encourage programmes and projects that bring good results and can be called good or promising practices that bring good results and can be called good or promising practices on the field of job insertion of people with disabilities.on the field of job insertion of people with disabilities.