According to preliminary data of the Central Statistical Office, the unemployment rate among working-age disabled persons was 26.2% in 2018. This means an increase by 3.7 ppts from 22.5% in 2015. According to the Survey of Economic Activity of the Population (BAEL), the unemployment rate among working-age disabled persons reached an all-time low level (7.2% in 2018).  In 2015, this rate was 13%. This means a decrease by 5.8 ppts.

‘Along with an increase of the employment level, the professional activity of disabled persons has also significantly increased. In 2015, the share of professionally active disabled persons (i.e. working persons or unemployed persons actively looking for employment) was 25.9%; in 2018, it rose to 28.3%. However, in spite of optimistic statistical data, there is still the need for the professional activation of disabled persons, particularly those with the biggest difficulties,’ stresses Minister Elżbieta Rafalska.

The head of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy informs that there are advanced works under way to prepare the draft act on supported employment aimed at providing special support to these groups of disabled persons who find it most difficult to find, undertake and maintain employment on their own.

‘Supported employment should be a form of professional activation that will complement the existing solutions in the field of professional rehabilitation,’ says Minister Elżbieta Rafalska.

What does that mean in practice? The project being prepared assumes the individual work of a job coach with a disabled person with his/her maximum inclusion in the entire decision-making process regarding employment. These actions will be conducted in co-operation with employers, labour market institutions and entities performing tasks in the field of professional and social rehabilitation of disabled persons.