Employing people with disabilities in Croatia: Intersectoral public health action for an inclusive labour market (2018)

In Croatia, like in many countries in the WHO European Region, people with disabilities are an underemployed group in the workforce, which significantly impacts their welfare and contributes to social inequalities. To address this, Croatia implemented the Law on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities in 2013 with the aim to increase employment in this group. Key regulatory mechanisms included quotas related to the number of people with disabilities and incentives for employers.

Another mechanism was the development of integrative workshops and working centres where the skills of people with disabilities are tested for participation in the labour market or in sheltered and integrative workshops. The Law also regulates reasonable accommodation of the workplace including physical barriers, working equipment and personal assistance. The Law resulted in more people with disabilities employed in the labour market in Croatia.