Alzheimer Europe has joined with 125 NGOs in signing an open letter coordinated by the European Disability Forum (EDF), calling on the European Commission to commit to an EU Disability Employment and Skills Guarantee as part of the new actions in the upcoming Communication “Enhancing the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030.”
The letter notes that only 52.7% of persons with disabilities in the European Union are employed, compared to 76.7% of persons without disabilities. In addition, it highlights the disability pay gap. The letter specifically calls for the Guarantee in order to address barriers to employment that persons with intellectual disabilities, psychosocial disabilities and disabilities that impact cognitive skills face, including:
Give access to mainstream education, training and employment opportunities
Grant job opportunities in the open labour market (not in sheltered workshops)
Offer support to assist companies and organisations in providing reasonable accommodations for the person at work
Ensure access to certification that can attest to the skills acquired by participants with disabilities.
The full letter is available at: https://www.edf-feph.org/publications/for-a-disability-employment-guarantee-as-flagship-initiative-of-the-enhanced-disability-strategy/
