Transcript Document

Employment of disabled people in
Bulgaria –
problems, trends and perspectives
Ralitza Pandurska
Irina Danailova
University of National and World Economy,
Sofia, Bulgaria
1. Definitions:
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There is no common international definition, but usually it
is accepted at state level and can change in time;
There is contradiction between social and medical
approaches of definition;
According to Bulgarian legislation disability is every loss
or breach of the anatomical structure, physiology or
mentality of individuals (Law of integration of disabled
people). Person with disability is everyone,
independent of their age, with physical, sensitive or
mental damage, that makes difficult their social
integration and participation in public life, their
possibilities of communication and education or labor
realization.
2. Legislative framework
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Bulgarian Constitution;
Labor code;
Social insurance code;
Health law;
Law of integration of disabled people;
Social assistance law;
Stimulating of employment law;
Law of healthy and safety work conditions;
National Strategy for Equal Opportunities of Disabled People,
related to European Union’s recommendations and Standard
Rules of United Nations, European Social Charta;
Characteristics of National Strategy for
Equal Opportunities of Disabled
People
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The document is dedicated to children and adults
with disabilities as well as to their families;
The aim of this strategy is to accelerate the
integration of people with disabilities;
Make society perceive them like individuals with
equal rights, but with different possibilities;
In the National Strategy are proposals are made
about legislative changes that have to facilitate life
and social integration of people with disabilities.
3.
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Institutions involved
Ministry of labor and social policy;
Ministry of health;
Disabled people Agency;
Agency of social assistance;
Employment agency;
National council for integration of disabled people;
Municipal government bodies;
National represented organizations of disabled people;
National represented trade unions;
National represented employer’s organizations;
NGOs;
Social companies;
Etc.
4. Analysis of problems of disabled
people in Bulgaria – various aspects:
4.1. Demographical - after the last counting of
the population made in 2001, the total
number of people with disabilities is 256 353.
Disabled people in Bulgaria are divided in
three groups – with disability between 50%
and 70.99% (approximately 70 000
individuals), between 71% and 90.99%
(approximately 190 000 individuals) and
more then 91% - 135 650 individuals.
4. Analysis of problems of disabled
people in Bulgaria – various aspects:
4.2. Economical – the majority of disabled people
rely on their pensions for disability and state
subsidies. Pensions for disability are very low and
are related to the rate of disability and minimum rate
of old ageing pension 124,84 lv.(63.69 euro)
They can also take advantage of tax reduces and
social benefits. As in many cases disabled people
earn very low income, they are subject of social
assistance.
4. Analysis of problems of disabled
people in Bulgaria – various aspects:
4.3. Social – isolation is one of the biggest problems
of disabled people. Difficult access to environment,
absence of facilities in schools, inconvenient work
places and public transport obstruct their active
participation in social life. This is the reason for high
unemployment rate of disabled people – 14 414
individuals or 5% of all unemployed for 2007. Their
educational profile shows that disabled people
without professional qualification or elementary
education is very high. Unemployed women with
disabilities are more than men.
5. INCREASING EMPLOYMENT OF
DISABLED PEOPLE PROGRAMS:
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National program: “ASSISTANTS OF
DISABLED PEOPLE”;
National program: “EMPLOYMENT AND
PROFFESSIONAL TRAINING OF PEOPLE
WITH PERMANENT DISABILITIES”;
Program: “EMPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS
IN EDUCATION OF DISABLED CHILDREN”.
According to Law of integration of
disabled people, this could be
achieved through work in various
fields:
Prevention and rehabilitation of disabilities;
 Education and professional training;
 Access to environment;
 Labor market;
According to Stimulating employment law wages,
social contributions, education, grants for
disabled people are completely or partially
financed by Agency for disabled people .
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CONCLUSIONS:
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Financial crisis reflects negatively on labor market
and in particular on one of the most vulnerable parts
of the population – people with disabilities;
Disabled people’s problems are still unresolved and
often they are in social isolation, because of their
health condition, unfavorable architecture and social
environment, prejudices in the society and
employers’ lack of comprehension;
Inefficiency of educational and professional training
systems is a reason of low employability of disabled
people;
CONCLUSIONS:
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Weak flexibility of Bulgarian labor market does not
allow disabled people to be employed in part time;
People often think that disabled people are an
inefficient labor force, whose productivity is lower
than productivity of other people and this could
cause losses for the company.
Measures taken by the State about increasing
employment and restriction of disintegration of
disabled people are insufficient and inefficient and
their unemployment rate is high.
Measures for increasing employability
of disabled people:
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Presenting problems of disabled people to the society and
breaking the cliché that they are inferior in the labor;
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Improving educational system to prepare employers in areas
with workers deficit. Disabled people could be employed in
professions appropriate to their possibilities;
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Elimination of architectural barriers for this group of individuals
and increasing their mobility;
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Popularization and adaptation of programs for flexibility in the
labor market and employing people with disabilities in part time
or home work;
Measures of increasing employability
of disabled people:
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Making legislative reforms for “positive discrimination” of
disabled people and stimulating employers to hire them;
Progress in professional training and motivation systems that
help people with different needs to find a more appropriate job
to disclose their labor potential;
Consulting, mediating and informing disabled people and
employers about potential possibilities;
Organizing a special transport service with appropriate vehicles
for disabled people from their homes to work places;
Making and popularizing psychological consulting offices for
disabled people for reducing social isolation and stimulating
social contacts between them.
THANK YOU FOR THE
ATTENTION!