The Czech Republic has strengthened its commitment to supporting disabled workers with significant changes to employment subsidies starting this January. The monthly state contribution for employers in the protected labor market has increased by 1,600 crowns, rising from 15,700 to 17,300 crowns, with a further increase to 18,600 crowns planned for next year.
Labor Minister Marian Jurečka explained that the increase is tied to anticipated minimum wage growth. The subsidy specifically targets companies where disabled employees make up more than half of the workforce.
The government has also revised penalties for companies failing to meet disability employment quotas. Businesses with over 25 employees must maintain at least 4% of their workforce as disabled employees. The new system implements graduated penalties based on the percentage of disabled workers employed, with the strictest penalties for companies employing less than 1% disabled workers.
The initiative appears to be making an impact, with recent data showing 3,868 companies operating in the protected labor market, employing 76,184 disabled individuals. Notably, over thirty percent of these employees are individuals with mild psychological conditions.
“Our goal is to maximize direct employment of persons with disabilities. These measures are designed to motivate companies to integrate them into the open labor market,” stated Minister Jurečka.