Not Only Healing, but Bringing the Handicapped into the Workplace

For soldiers and civilians who acquired a disability during in the ATO, it is necessary not only to heal, but also to promote their employability and socialization.

This statement was made by Presidential Commissioner for the Rights of People with Disabilities Valeriy Sushkevich during the seminar “International Experience of Job Support and Coaching for People with Disabilities,” as reported by a correspondent for the Human Rights Information Center.

At the seminar, at the invitation of UNDP in Ukraine, was Frank Kavanagh, an international expert in the development of labor market policy, public employment services, and job guidance and training. Kavanagh showcased the practices of job support and coaching for persons with disabilities in seven European countries, including Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Norway, the Czech Republic and Ireland.

The topic of discussion was various support  mechanisms for people with disabilities, such as specialized training centers, employment programs, adapting to the workplace, flexible jobs, and disability benefits which may be collected alongside a salary (no benefit trap) etc.

As the seminar participants mentioned, it is not a simple task for a person with a disability to get a job in Ukraine. Despite a 4% hiring quota, preferential tax treatment, counseling by the State Employment Service and Social Assistance Fund, it is extremely difficult for people with disabilities to compete in the labor market.

There are a lot of obstacles. There is a lack of understanding on the part of employers on why they should employ a person with a disability, difficulty of getting to the workplace, etc. Also, the job-seeking persons with disabilities themselves cannot always correctly assess their capabilities and do not know about modern technologies, which can help them adapt to the workplace (for example, reader support for sight deficiencies) or find it difficult to pass retraining in accordance with the requirements of the labor market.

Valeriy Sushkevich is convinced that the situation can be changed. However, he adds that “it will be difficult,because it requires funds“.

“Particular attention should be paid to the military from the ATO zone, who, by protecting our country, acquired disability. Treatment in hospitals –  is not enough. There has to be return to employment and social life. Right now the state has no such special program for this. But, the main thing is for Ukraine to utilize its own experience, not just write another program overnight that will not run”, – said the Ombudsperson.

At the same time, Frank Kavanagh asserts that “employers’ strict rules and penalties do not always work tothe benefit of a person with a disability“.

“It is better to pay attention to the potential of the person with a disability, which can be ‘used’ for quality work. At the same time, if a person does not lose their social benefits, they have a motivation to get a job to earn a salary on top of them, thus avoiding the ‘benefit trap’”, – says Kavanagh.

In particular, Kavanagh said: “You must also educate and improve the level of understanding on the issue of disability by public employment services, work in close cooperation with nongovernmental organizations,and create a network of professional job coaches“.

Vice President for foreign policy of the VMOO (Ukrainian Youth Civic Organization) “Generation Successful Action” and member of Coalition for Combating Discrimination in Ukraine (CCD) Yulia Sachuk noticed that the level of democratic development of any country and its relation to human rights are determined, in large part, by the way people with disabilities are involved into decision-making.

“Are people with disabilities present in government and business, and not just present, but at what level? Do they have a chance to make decisions and shape policy?” – said Sachuk.

As of October 1, 2014 (according to Ministry of Social Policy data), there are about 2.8 million people with disabilities in Ukraine. Among them, only around 731,000 are employed. Currently, almost 74% of the total number of people with disabilities, most of which have the 1st or 2nd group, are unemployed.