Labour insertion of people with a disability. Labour insertion policy in municipalities and the employers’ view on employing people with a disability in regular employment.

Abstract

This research is commissioned by ‘Joined Agreement A2 municipalities; Labour and Income’ or Labour and Income1 for short. This is a collaboration between three municipalities in the southeast of the Netherlands, namely Cranendonck, Heeze-Leende and Valkenswaard. The main research question is: What are the empirical presumptions of different parties about the labour insertion of people with a disability in regular employment and how can these presumptions contribute to the labour(re-)integration strategy and policy formation of Labour and Income? Empirical presumptions can be divided into causal and final presumptions (Van Heffen, 2003). Causal presumptions define cause-effect relationships and final presumptions define resources and objectives (see attachments 6 and 7 for arrow diagrams). Nineteen people are interviewed to trace the presumptions about the labour insertion of people with a disability into regular employment. Three parties are interviewed: service organisations (municipalities, UWV and SW-companies; 11 in total), employers (governance, welfare organisation, business service, industrial enterprise and retail/transport; 6 in total) and client supporters (MEE and Platform for Disabled Persons Eindhoven; 2 in total). The results of the interviews show that emancipation of people with a disability is necessary and that prejudices employers have should be eliminated. This task lies with the national government and municipalities, but is also up to people with a disability themselves. One way to increase labour insertion of people with a disability is to survey the limitations and possibilities of people with a disability. Also education should be aligned with the demand of the labour market to construct a good match between jobseeker and employer. Positive experiences with people with a disability and a good economic state of the country or company can also contribute. Employers in this research indicated they want their employees to be motivated and to add production value (knowledge and skills) to the company. In the interviews it is also indicated employers want risks to be eliminated and want to be relieved of care. This can be accomplished by using resources such as workplace experiences, support/supervision, financial means and secondment constructions. These resources have to be both flexible towards the employer and provide security for the employee. A front and back office construction should constitute the organisation of the labour insertion of people with a disability. The front office yields an employers’ approach that matches the demand of the employers and the back office yields a right match between jobseeker and possible vacancies or jobs. Front and back office have to be interconnected.