The coronavirus pandemic is a special time that requires unusual actions and decisions. An example of such action includes the Minister of Family and Social Policy of 20 October this year concerning the operation of occupational therapy workshops during the epidemic.

– The Ministry of the Family, which I manage, undertakes a number of actions to improve the functioning of occupational therapy workshops and their participants in connection with the prevailing epidemic situation in the country – assures Marlena Maląg, Minister of Family and Social Policy. – For instance, until now, if less than 35 hours per week have been set, the amount of funding has been proportionately reduced. The introduced change assumes that during the period of the epidemic – i.e. starting from 25 May this year. – This will not result in a reduction in the amount of funding for the operation of the workshops – explains the head of the Ministry Family and Social Policy.

What else is going to change?

Exceeding the time limits for the admissible absence by a occupational therapy workshop participant - if such time limit had been specified in the workshop regulations - shall not constitute grounds for removing that participant from the list of workshop participants.

- In addition, considering the information obtained from the units running occupational therapy workshops indicating difficulties in obtaining psychologists for an employment contract, we have introduced a provision enabling the employment of a psychologist on the basis of a contract other than the employment contract - indicates Minister Maląg.

As part of the amendment to the Regulation, the catalogue of costs of the workshop's activities which can be subsidised from the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled was also supplemented with payments to employee capital plans and contributions to the Solidarity Fund.