The State Audit Committee in Israel discussed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the employment market for persons with disabilities.
The discussion was held against the background of the auditor’s report Government Actions for the Integration of People with Disabilities in Employment 64 c.
The hearing revealed that this population was severely affected by the coronavirus outbreak and that according to a survey by the Equal Rights Commission for People with Disabilities, employers sent 65% of workers with disabilities to unpaid leave, four times the rest of the population, the Israel National News reported.
“The economic crisis particularly affects people with disabilities. The difficult data presented to the Committee by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission require work by government ministries: First, to get a true picture of the depth of the injury, and later to produce a government emergency plan to return to work as soon as possible. In addition, as stated in the Committee, there’s a barrier for ministries to employ people with disabilities due to ancillary expenses of equipment, etc.; I will check to bring to the Labor and Welfare Committee regulations to finance special expenses incurred by ministries as a result. I will also consider passing primary legislation to anchor establishment of a Center for People with Disabilities as this requirement was raised in the conclusions of the Laron Committee.” said Committee Chairman MK Ofer Shelach.
