Employing persons with disabilities to become enforceable by law under new bill

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has moved a legal amendment in Parliament that will require companies employing more that 20 persons to have 2% of its workforce consisting of persons with disabilities, with companies failing to reach this quota being subject to a €2,400 contribution.

While current legislation provides for this, the clause is not enforceable, and has been largely ignored by employers in Malta. Through this amendment, those failing to reach the quota will have to pay an annual contribution of €2,400 for every person with a disability that should be in the company's employment.

This amount will be capped at €10,000 for every employer failing to respect the quota, but will not apply to a group of companies duly registered with the relevant authorities.

During Tuesday's first parliamentary debate on the issue, Caruana revealed that some larger companies were not pleased with this contribution, much to his dismay.

"These people take a lot from this country, but towards these individuals they aren't ready to contribute anything. We aren't asking for a millions, or hundreds of thousands. We're only asking for €2,400 - tell me, what is this amount for someone with a turnover of €3 million?" he said.

Caruana explained that the contribution will be used o ensure that more persons with disabilities can find their ways into employment.

From the Opposition side, Nationalist MP David Agius said that all workplaces need to be accessible, while calling for increased awareness on the experiences of people with disability, as well as their skills and potential.

While the Opposition will be supporting this bill, Agius questioned how the contribution will be used, and proposed that it be spent on educational campaigns and job coaching schemes.

He went on to say that the Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disability should answer to Parliament, and not to a particular ministry.

Labour MP Oliver Scicluna, who was born with spina bifida, warned that persons with disability should not be thrown into the same category, as each person has their own needs.

"I've lived in this sector since the day I was born," he said in Parliament. "While I acknowledge the good work government has done over the years, I am still disabled, and I remain an activist in the sector. I am an activist before I am a politician."

However, Scicluna disagreed with Agius's proposal to have the contribution funds directed towards education, arguing instead that they should be devoted fully to helping persons with disability find employment.