The right of persons with disabilities to work and be employed on an equal basis with others is enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has been ratified by all EU Member States. Principle 17 of the European Pillar of Social Rights reaffirms the right of persons with disabilities to services that enable them to participate in the labour market and a work environment adapted to their needs. Closing the employment gap between persons with and without disabilities is one of the objectives of the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030, which invited Member States to set national targets for employment and adult learning for persons with disabilities.

One of the Strategy’s seven flagship initiatives is the Disability Employment Package. The Package aims to improve the labour market outcomes of persons with disabilities by providing guidance and good practices for employers, employers’ associations, and public authorities, as well as by raising awareness about persons with disabilities and by combating stereotypes.

The Package’s actions cover all stages of recruitment and employment:

• strengthening the capacities of employment and integration services
• promoting hiring perspectives through affirmative action
• combating stereotypes
• ensuring reasonable accommodation
• securing health and safety at work
• vocational rehabilitation schemes in cases of chronic diseases or accidents
• exploring quality jobs in sheltered employment
• pathways to the open labour market

This catalogue, which the Commission produced with the help of the European Disability Expertise (EDE) project and the members of the Disability Platform subgroup on employment, is one of the Package’s deliverables. It publicises positive actions carried out by employers and public authorities in Europe to hire persons with disabilities. Those actions can be considered good practices and serve as an inspiration for employers, employers’ organisations, public authorities, trade unions and other stakeholders that support employment of persons with disabilities.

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