Solicitud directa (CEACR) - Adopción: 2024, Publicación: 113ª reunión CIT (2025)

Convenio sobre la readaptación profesional y el empleo (personas inválidas), 1983 (núm. 159) - Hungría (Ratificación : 1984)

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 adopted to promote the vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that, as a result of economic growth beginning in 2017, the labour market was revitalised, leading to an increased demand from employers for the employment of persons with reduced capacity to work and persons with disabilities. The expansion of employment for individuals with reduced capacity to work was supported by the Government through European Union programmes. During the reporting period, the employment of persons with disabilities focused on three areas: developing employment; protected employment aimed at rehabilitation implemented by accredited employers; and participation in the open labour market under regular employment contracts for which employers could receive aids and allowances. Regarding developing employment, the previous system of social employment, which included persons with disabilities, was transformed effective 1 April 2017. Developing employment is now recognized as a distinct social service. In 2017, budgetary resources allocated for developing employment reached 5.1 billion Hungarian forints, increasing to 5.4 billion Hungarian forints in 2018. This funding allowed approximately 6,000 persons with disabilities to be supported each year. From 2020 onward, 6,000 to 6,500 persons with disabilities have been supported using budgetary sources of 6.3 billion Hungarian forints in 2021, which increased to 8.2 billion Hungarian forints in 2023 due to additional resources aimed at addressing the rising minimum guaranteed wage. European Union programmes focused on employment rehabilitation also aided in the placement of individuals with reduced capacity to work. For example, the priority project EFOP-1.1.1-15 supported the integration of persons with reduced capacity to work with 17 billion Hungarian forints. Under the project, 15,000 persons with reduced capacity to work were assisted in obtaining employment from 2015 until 30 June 2023. As part of this initiative, training materials for mentors assisting with the employment rehabilitation and placement of persons with reduced capacity to work were developed, with 150 individuals successfully completing the mentor training programme. The Government further indicates that favourable rules effective from 1 January 2021 were introduced for the rehabilitation contribution to enhance the employment of people with reduced capacity to work in the open labour market. Under these rules, employees hired by employers as mentors can be counted towards the 5 per cent mandatory employment rate (covering those assisting with the integration and employment of persons with reduced capacity to work), as well as career starter persons with disabilities or youth with special educational needs based on their prior qualifications, up to the age of 23. These various forms of employment and subsidies have facilitated the placement of persons with reduced capacity to work in the open labour market. The Committee notes that the employment rate of persons with disabilities increased from 18 per cent in 2011 to 44 per cent in 2022; however, this figure remains below the European Union average. In its previous comments, the Committee noted the introduction of the Rehabilitation Card on 1 July 2012 as a new form of support. The card, issued by the national tax authority to eligible persons with disabilities, allowed employers to claim a discount on the social contribution tax for the wages of workers with disabilities. Since 2012, employees have been required to obtain a Rehabilitation Card to benefit from this allowance. Since 2019, employers can assert the social contribution tax allowance in a simplified manner under the tax return procedure. In July 2012, 3,217 employers benefited from this allowance for 5,574 persons with reduced capacity to work. By April 2023, this number rose to 8,200 employers employing 43,000 workers with reduced capacity to work. The Committee notes from the 2022 concluding observations on Hungary’s combined second and third periodic reports that the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) noted with concern the very low employment rate of persons with disabilities, particularly in the open labour market, where those employed are mostly in underpaid, unskilled jobs and in sheltered workshops (CRPD/C/HUN/CO/2-3). While noting the progress made over the last decade in the employment rate of the persons with disabilities,the Committee requests the Government to indicate how it periodically reviews its national policy on employment and vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities with the aim of increasing their employment rates and promoting their employment in the open labour market. It also requests the Government to provide information, including statistical data, on the impact of the measures taken related to the vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities.

Article 5. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee previously requested the Government to continue providing information on the activities of the National Disability Council. The Government indicates that the National Disability Council was established in 1998 as a direct advisory and proposal-making body of the Government. It serves as a forum for non-governmental organizations and interest representation organizations representing persons with disabilities to express their opinions and recommendations before decisions on disability policy are made. The National Disability Council also reviews draft legislation and bills, and contributes to the preparations of the National Programme for Persons with Disabilities and related action plans, and assesses the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Chairperson of the National Disability Council may invite additional persons to participate in Council meetings upon request from a member or when necessary for discussing an agenda item. The Government indicates that there is no statistical data available concerning the cases investigated by the National Disability Council. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed 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.