Employment of People with Disabilities in Croatia and the Member States of the European Union

Abstract

The introductory chapter presents the basic features of the employment of people with disabilities in 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) and Croatia. This is followed by a presentation of findings of the project "Social status of people with disabilities in Croatia" in the context of people with disabilities' employment in Croatia. The aim of the paper is to examine some characteristics of employed people with disabilities in Croatia and to compare them with the employment of people with disabilities in the Member States of the European Union, to determine the material conditions of people with disabilities in Croatia and community involvement of those who are employed. The research indicates that the employment of people with disabilities in Croatia is about 10%. The differences in employment according to the level of education, form of education and time when disability occurred were significant. The correlation between self-assessment and objective assessment of material conditions, employment and community involvement was also significant. The average employment of people with disabilities in Croatia and in the Member States of the European Union is very similar, e.g. the employment quota system in the open labor market prevails in the Member States of the European Union and in Croatia too. It is necessary to invest in the education of people with disabilities and to educate them for professions that will provide their employment in the open labor market. Also their involvement in the community must be encouraged.