27 July 2020

According to the Federal Registry of Persons with Disabilities, there are now 3.4 million working-age people with limited health abilities. As on April 1, according to the Federal Labor & Employment Service, less than 1/3 of them had jobs – only 905,894 people. During the pandemics, the number of disabled workers dropped by 3,614 people.

Employers however have offered more positions for disabled people during pandemics. According to HeadHunter, in May 2020 4,716 such positions were opened which is 34% more than in May 2019, and 6,433 positions were added in June (58% more compared to June 2019).

According to HeadHunter, among the most popular are the positions of call center operator, sales manager, driver, client relations manager, HR manager. The average compensation level in positions available for the disabled reached 41,000 rubles in June 2020. Vedomosti found out the causes of inconsistencies between offers and real employment.

Law stipulates that companies with 100+ staff must employ 2% to 4% of disabled persons, and companies with staff between 35 to 100 employees – up to 3% of their average personnel. Also, the company must provide a disabled employee with a special working place.

Every quarter, employees are supposed to submit reports on filing of quota-based positions to employment centers, and the state grants them benefits in return. Companies that employ 50%+ disabled workers, or those with wage costs for disabled persons accounting for no less than 25% of all wage costs, receive VAT, income, land, and property tax incentives.

According to the Labor Ministry, in 2019 a quota of 445,900 workplaces was set, and by the end of that year, it was filled by employers by 70% only – same as in previous years.

The fines for employers who do not fill the quotas are not significant – only 5,000 to 10,000 rubles, says Tatyana Nikolaenko, Head of Labour Law Practice with Khrenov&Partners. And if the company fails to submit data on existing open positions for disabled, it will be able to get off with a lesser fine of 3,000-5,000 rubles.