The government’s plans to promote the disabled in the labor market are met with concerns in the Bundestag. During the first reading of the draft law, there was criticism, among other things, of the sanctions for companies that do not employ any people with disabilities at all.
While AfD and Linke described the planned sums as insufficient, the CDU and CSU are fundamentally skeptical about the so-called compensation levy. The Disability Officer of the Union faction, Wilfried Oellers, campaigned instead for better placement of applicants and comprehensive advice for companies.
According to the plans of the federal government, companies with at least 60 jobs that do not have a single person with a severe disability in the workforce should pay a significantly higher levy. The aim is that 720 euros per month will be due for each unoccupied workplace.
“Further improving opportunities for people with disabilities”
“The time to shirk responsibility (…) must be over,” said Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD). “Part of social progress is that we continue to improve the chances of people with disabilities on the labor market.” Special regulations are provided for smaller companies. The draft law also provides for numerous other individual points, such as accelerating approval procedures in the integration offices.
The Federal Government Commissioner for Disabled Persons, Jürgen Dusel, welcomed the project: “It is simply unacceptable that a quarter of all employers who are obliged to work do not employ a single person with severe disabilities.” However, there is still room for improvement in the draft law. Dusel criticized the fact that certain fines for employers should be canceled if they do not meet their employment obligations. “However, what is the point of a legal obligation without the possibility of sanctions?”
