Which jobs can persons with disabilities work in? This question is frequently asked by people with disabilities who want to participate in professional life. Individuals with a disability status are offered specific accommodations and advantages in employment, and the types of work they can perform are regulated under relevant legislation.
Who is Considered Disabled Under Labor Law?
Under the Labor Law, a person is considered disabled if they were born with or later developed limitations in physical, mental, sensory, or social abilities and the degree of disability is at least 40 percent. Those who experience health issues that create difficulties in meeting daily needs are granted certain employment supports and easier access to livelihood under the law. Special positions are created for disabled workers, and recent regulations require businesses that employ a certain number of workers to hire disabled personnel. In addition, people with disabilities can benefit from various social discounts and privileges. Important rights include tax reductions for disabled people, exemption from special consumption taxes, and early retirement in some cases.
Employers meeting specific criteria are required to hire disabled employees. According to Article 30 of the Labor Law, if an enterprise within the same provincial borders employs at least 50 workers, it must also employ disabled workers. In private sector businesses, disabled employment must account for at least 3 percent of the total workforce. When calculating the percentage, fractional results are rounded up to the next half or whole number. For example, if 3 percent of the workforce equals 5.56 people, the employer must hire 6 disabled employees.
Penalties for Not Hiring Disabled Workers
The penalty for failing to employ disabled workers is specified by law and consists of an administrative fine for the business. The fine amount changes annually and is adjusted by the revaluation rate. Penalties apply when an employer has more than 50 employees within the same province but does not employ disabled workers or employs fewer disabled workers than required by the calculation. The count is made by provincial borders; therefore, a nationwide company with branches cannot combine employees from multiple provinces for this calculation. What matters is the number of employees within each province’s borders.
Which Jobs Can People with Disabilities Do?
The types of jobs that people with disabilities can perform are defined by law. Persons with disabilities are not permitted to work in underground or underwater jobs. Consequently, enterprises whose activities are classified as underground or underwater are not required to hire disabled workers, and disabled people are not allowed to work in those job types even if desired. In addition, health reports for persons with disabilities list occupations they cannot perform based on the nature of their disability. Because disability types vary, suitability for work is determined based on the individual’s medical report. For instance, someone with a 40 percent visual impairment and someone with a 40 percent impairment in their hands may be suitable for different types of work.
Determination of suitable jobs is based on the official disability report issued by fully equipped hospital health boards. These reports indicate the current degree of disability and specify which jobs the individual is fit to perform. Employers must review these medical reports when recruiting disabled staff and assign duties that align with the limitations and permissions indicated in the report.