Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Greece (Ratification: 1985)

The Committee notes the observations of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) received on 1 September 2023 and the Government’s response to these observations received on 24 November 2023.

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding the measures taken to promote the employment of persons with disabilities, including the legislative provisions prohibiting discrimination based on disability (including chronic diseases) in employment. Regarding the practical application of the Convention, the Government indicates that the Ombudsman is designated as the body responsible for monitoring and promoting the principle of equal treatment based on prohibited grounds of discrimination, including disability or chronic illness. It adds that, in the context of its inspection duties, the Labour Inspectorate deals with cases falling within the scope of legislation by informing the Ombudsman, without delay, reserving in each case the latter’s competence to investigate and formulate its final finding on the complaint. Discrimination on the grounds of disability or chronic illness by a person acting as an employer at any stage of access to occupation and employment, when concluding or refusing to conclude an employment agreement or during its duration, operation, development or termination, constitutes a violation of labour legislation for which administrative sanctions are imposed by the Labour Inspectorate. The Committee notes the number of complaints during the 2017–22 period for cases of infringement of the principle of equal treatment for persons with disabilities in the field of employment (a total of 17 complaints and four fines imposed). The Committee notes from the 2019 concluding observations on the initial report of Greece that the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) noted with concern the high level of unemployment among persons with disabilities and the insufficient efforts to ensure their inclusion in the open labour market, particularly with regard to women with disabilities (CRPD/C/GRC/CO/1). It was also concerned about the lack of effective measures to improve and facilitate the provision of specific measures and individualized support in the workplace and of more effective and accessible services for persons with disabilities seeking employment. Noting that no statistical data on the employment rate of persons with disabilities was included in the Government’s report, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the employment rate of persons with disabilities and to indicate how it periodically reviews its national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities to promote their employment in the open labour market, including by offering adapted and accessible employment services for persons with disabilities. It also requests the Government to provide information, including statistical data, on the impact of the measures taken relating to vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. Additionally, it requests the Government to continue to provide information on the sanctions and amounts of fines imposed by the inspection services.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that representatives of the beneficiaries of Law No. 2643/1998 on the “employment of persons of special categories and other provisions”, as well as a representative of the employers, participate in the Committees of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security that deal with the implementation of Law 2643/1998. Among others, a representative of the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities (ESAMEA) and a representative of the Association of Enterprises and Industries (SEV) participate in those Committees. The Government adds that, during a meeting of the Social Inspection Council of Labour Inspection (SKEEE) in April 2021, the inclusion of a module on persons with disabilities and chronic diseases in the theoretical training of prospective labour inspectors was discussed, to enhance the ability of labour inspectors to detect incidents of unequal treatment due to disability or chronic disease. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on the content and outcome of the consultations held with the social partners and organizations representing persons with disabilities on the matters covered by the Convention.