52% of employers believe that psychological problems and behavioral peculiarities hinder the employment of veterans with disabilities, according to the research of the charitable foundation “You are with us”.
In particular, when asked what peculiarities of veterans with disabilities hinder their employment, 24% of employers answered that there are no peculiarities, 52% noted psychological problems and behavioral peculiarities, 19% – alcoholism and drug use, and 5% believe that veterans with disabilities should receive assistance from the state so that there is no need to work.
Also, when asked what incentives the employer needs from the state to employ a veteran with a disability, respondents most often named: compensation for the cost of equipping workplaces for the needs of an employee with a disability; benefits for the payment of unified social tax; and subsidies for each such employed employee.
The survey was conducted in April-July 2023. In the course of the research 468 managers and owners of small, medium and large enterprises in all regions of the country and different sectors of the economy were interviewed. Surveys were conducted under conditions of anonymity by telephone questionnaire. It is noted that 18% of surveyed enterprises have more than 100 employees, 28% – up to 100 employees and 54% – up to 20 employees.
disability, employer, EMPLOYMENT, psychological problems, ветеран
An inclusive driving school has started operating in the village of Vita-Poshtova on the basis of the National Academy of Internal Affairs (Educational and Research Institute No. 1), the Kyiv City State Administration reports.
According to a statement on the KCSA website, “at the driving school, people with disabilities can receive services to study theory and gain practical driving skills; pass theoretical and practical exams, and then get a driver’s license.”
If necessary, people can also retrain or acquire the skills to drive a manual car.
In addition, both individual and mixed group training is possible, and it is also possible to learn theory online. The driving school’s curricula are adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, and training and exams will be held in inclusive facilities.
In total, 11 weeks are allocated for training, including 4 weeks of theory and 7 weeks of practice. Up to 30 people study in one group.
To enroll in a driving school, you must pass a medical and social commission and receive a certificate of the cause and group of disability, as well as undergo a medical examination and receive a certificate of fitness to drive.
Next, you need to choose a driving school and submit the required package of documents to the educational institution. This includes an application addressed to the director of the driving school, a copy of the passport of a citizen of Ukraine or an identity document confirming his or her citizenship or special status, a copy of one of the documents provided for by the Tax Code of Ukraine with data on the registration number of the taxpayer’s account card or a notice of refusal to accept it, a medical certificate and a 3.5 x 4.5 cm color photograph.
Driving schools for people with disabilities operate in Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Lviv and Dnipro regions.
Only 16% of persons with disabilities are officially employed in Ukraine, Social Policy Minister Oksana Zholnovych has said.
“The existing system of employment of persons with disabilities, based on the quota principle and the system of penalties, is ineffective. As a result, only 16% of persons with disabilities are officially employed in Ukraine, while in Europe this figure reaches more than 55%”, – the press service of the ministry said with reference to Zholnovych.
According to her, the draft law No. 5344 developed by the Ministry of Social Policy, which is already being considered in the Verkhovna Rada, is intended to create new opportunities for employment of persons with disabilities.
“First of all, the bill No. 5344 is intended to increase inclusion in society, to make the conditions equal for everyone. Because today the situation is that – mainly in private business – there is a quota for the employment of people with disabilities. And if it is not met, the private sector pays a so-called “administrative economic sanction” once a year. And there are already many cases of bypassing and non-payment, employers are afraid to hire people with disabilities because they do not know how to do it, there is no systematic support and assistance to adapt such a person in the team,” said the minister.
According to her, abolishing such practices, the bill proposes three options for employers: pay an unconditional earmarked contribution to support the employment of people with disabilities; hire people with disabilities themselves and get support; buy the product from social enterprises that have already employed 50 percent or more of people with disabilities.
“Thus, the emphasis is on ensuring decent working conditions for people with disabilities, accumulating a resource and expanding support for social enterprises,” the report says.
Another problem that the bill solves, Zholnovich said, is the impossibility of state support for entrepreneurs who hire people with disabilities but whose founders are not public organizations.
“Today under the law, support from the state is only possible if the founder is a public organization. So we remove this restriction and say: any employer who hires 50 or more people with disabilities can count on support and benefits. Socially oriented business will create new, socially protected jobs,” the Minister stressed.
