Federal Council wants better employment rights for people with disabilities
Published: Friday, Dec 8th 2023, 15:41
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In future, employers will have to offer accessible online services and allow employees with disabilities more flexible working hours. In addition, sign languages are to be recognized. The Federal Council has presented a bill on this.
On Friday, it submitted a partial revision of the Disability Discrimination Act for consultation. The bill aims to better protect people with disabilities from discrimination in employment and access to services, according to a statement.
Today, people with disabilities are only comprehensively protected against discrimination if the state is the employer or provides services. The preliminary draft therefore provides for the expansion of protection against direct and indirect discrimination in private employment relationships and services.
Employers and service providers should be obliged to take reasonable precautions to eliminate discrimination. On the one hand, these precautions must be reasonable for the company in question. Secondly, they must be suitable for reducing discrimination in a specific situation. This includes, for example, the obligation to offer accessible online services or to enable employees with disabilities to work more flexible hours.
Recognizing sign languages
The preliminary draft also takes account of the linguistic and cultural concerns of the deaf with a separate section on the recognition and promotion of sign languages. Parliament had called for this in a motion.
The Federal Council has also approved four priority programs in the areas of work, services, housing and participation and is providing additional funding of CHF 500,000 per year for these. The programs are intended in particular to improve the conditions for the future implementation of the amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act.
A further aim is to promote the exchange of experience between the Confederation, cantons and civil society, to develop further foundations for equality and to test measures that promote the implementation of the rights of people with disabilities.
Accompanying measures
A report commissioned by the Federal Bureau for the Equality of Persons with Disabilities (EBGB) shows that the impact of the partial revision is very difficult to assess. In principle, the potential impact is very high when you consider all 1.5 million people with disabilities. However, the concrete benefits and actual costs are less clear.
The authors of the report therefore propose "low-threshold access to an advice center", which would provide support with implementation issues. The introduction of a complaints and arbitration office would further promote the development of pragmatic and timely solutions.
"Not sustainable"
In an initial reaction, the umbrella organization Inclusion Handicap described the consultation draft as "unacceptable". A strong Disability Equality Act looks different. Actual equality requires, for example, the guarantee of free choice of living arrangements and the provision of assistance and support so that affected people can live as independently as possible.
It is also incomprehensible that the draft does not include any new regulatory steps for the failed implementation of accessibility in public transport. "If the Federal Council really wants to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities, effective measures are now required."
The association is exerting pressure with the inclusion initiative launched in April. This initiative aims to ensure that people with disabilities are truly equal in all areas of life and across all levels of legislation.
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