National governments deploy significant financial resources to subsidise sheltered employment for disabled people. ENIL research has identified 12 cases in which EUR 553,43 million were spent to maintain, construct or renovate sheltered workshops.
For example:
– The Swedish government is subsidising the provider of sheltered employment Samhall Aktiebolag with EUR 500 million per year. Samhall is employing 19 135 disabled people.
– The government of Saxony in Germany is subsidising the construction of a sheltered workshop for 160 disabled people with EUR 6,8 million.
– The government of Bavaria is subsidising the construction of a sheltered workshop for 240 disabled people with EUR 10,6 million.
It is often claimed that sheltered employment is highly effective in enabling disabled people find regular work. There is strong evidence that this is not the case. A disabled individual known to ENIL was refused personal assistance at work and instead asked to work at a sheltered workshop. In 2021, researchers from the University of Amsterdam found evidence that employment policies based on sheltered employment, lead to negative outcomes. In 2022 General Comment No 8 of the UN stated that sheltered employment is based on abelism and constitutes discrimination.
Alternative instruments to secure access to regular employment exist. Personal assistance at work, financial contributions to wages, the conversion of office buildings or the purchase of equipment are some of the options.
Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and General Comment No 8 on the rights of persons with disabilities to work and employment commit the EU and its Member States ensure disabled people have access to proper work on a level equal to others.
ENIL proposes a change to EU state aid legislation which could significantly help to redirect resources. At the moment the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) allows Member State Authorities to financially support wage expenditures, personal assistance at work, the adaptation of premises, the purchase of equipment and the subsidisation of sheltered employment. ENIL proposes to remove sheltered employment from the list of measures permitted.
ENIL has published a briefing document which outlines the topic in detail.
An article summarising the briefing and a press release are available.
On the 4th of December an online-event will take place during which speakers from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Disability Forum and the European Association of Persons with Disabilities will react to the briefing.
Posts have been published on social media.
