Region: Europe
Disability Definition
A “handicapped person” is someone having a permanent or a progressive physical, mental or sensory impairment that determines difficulties in learning, social relations and work integration, in such a way as to determine a process of social disadvantage or marginalization.
Legislation
Law 104/92 (“Framework Law for assistance, social integration and rights of the handicapped”) aims — among others — at guaranteeing the respect for human dignity, as well as the rights to freedom and autonomy of persons with disabilities, while promoting their integration in families, schools, work and society; preventing and removing negative conditions that stop the human development, the highest possible level of autonomy and participation in social life, as well as the enjoyment of civil, political and patrimonial rights; achieving a functional and social rehabilitation of people with physical and sensory impairment, while ensuring adequate services and prevention, care and rehabilitation measures, as well as a legal and economic protection; preparing adequate initiatives to overcome marginalization and social exclusion
Law 68/1999 provides for the assessment of the work skills of persons with disabilities to put them in appropriate working places through support services and measures of targeted employment, which have been strengthened in 2015 (see Legislative Decree 151/2015). Ratified UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disbilities on 15 May 2009
Employer Legal Requirements
Companies of 15–35 employees must hire one individual, 36–50 must hire two, and 50 or more have a quota of 7%), while conversely employers may receive incentives for employing people with disabilities, such as tax subsidies, wage contributions, and reimbursement for workplace adaptations (Sainsbury & Coleman-Fountain, 2014). Penalties exist for failing to meet quotas.
Accessibility Requirements
The Italian federal law Law 9, January 2004, n. 4 also known as The Disposizioni per favorire l’accesso dei soggetti disabili agli strumenti informatici or Provisions to support the access to information technologies for the disabled, addresses accessibility considerations in Italy. The act is commonly referred to as the “Stanca Act.” The Stanca Act applies to public sector organizations, regional municipal companies, public assistance and rehabilitation agencies and ICT services contractors working with public agencies. The provisions of the law does not apply to private sector organizations, except those in the transport or telecom sector that have partial government ownership. At the national level, the implementation of the law is monitored by the Department for Innovation and Technology; at the regional, provincial and municipality levels, each organization is responsible for overseeing their own implementation of the Act. ICT accessibility is based on the international standard (WCAG 2.0, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines released by W3C): see DPR 75/2005 and Ministerial Decree 8 July 2005. The application of the standard is not very clear: it appears that frequently there is a low level of adherence. Sanctions are the legal responsibility of public servants. European Accessibility Act The European Parliament and the Council came to a provisional agreement on the Commission’s proposal for a European Accessibility Act on 8 November 2018.
Cultural Norms
But the biggest obstacle for the country’s physically challenged may, in fact, be the fabled Italian family. Because of the social stigma that still attaches to disabilities, “they tend to keep disabled people at home” and out of public view. Public transportation and infrastructure are inadequate. For years, Italy ranked just above Greece and Portugal in terms of worst European accessibility.
Business Practices/Examples
Additional content coming soon.
Insights
Italy instituted measures for a targeted employment framework, graduated hiring quota, and regionally implemented assessment guidelines for work capacity, job-matching candidate’s skill set to employer needs, and training criteria (Agovino & Rapposelli, 2011; Law 68/1999). 44.0% of persons with disabilities from 15 to 64 years were employed in comparison with 55.1% of the total of population of the same range of age. This percentage reduced to 19.7% for persons with severe functional limitation in comparison with 46.9% of persons with low functional limitation. This indicates that less of 1 person in 5 with severe functional limitation works.
Supplier Diversity
Although no certification programs were located, NGLCC leaders have worked in Italy to expand support for LGBT supplier diversity. EDGE, Excellence and Diversity of GLBT Executives, is the first Italian lobby of professionals, entrepreneurs and GLBT managers for the recognition of wealth in diversity. Multinationals working in Italy have global supplier diversity requirements, which are portrayed to be in effect in Italy.
Talent Sourcing Resources
The ASPHI Foundation promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in school, work and in society through the use of digital technologies. The provide consulting on access to employment for persons with disabilities. They are holding now a course for medium-small size companies on employment for persons with disabilities and reasonable accommodation.
Additional Resources
The Italian Disability Forum (Forum Italiano sulla Disabilità – FID) is an Italian not-for-profit DPO, full member of the European Disability Forum (EDF), representing the interests of persons with disabilities in Italy. It is composed exclusively of national organizations of persons with disabilities and their families. Its aims are to fight for the recognition, promotion and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities, as well as for non-discrimination and equal opportunities. Since its establishment, the Italian Disability Forum has participated in all initiatives and activities carried out by EDF.
“SuperAbile is an “”Integrated Contact Center”” consisting of an online information clearinghouse and a free telephone consultation service. Topics span disability rights in Italy to prosthetics, and it includes employment documents in Italian. They are nationally networked and will refer to local providers and projects as possible. Center hotline: 800.810.810. Email:
Salvatore Cimmino is a well-known Italian swimmer and served as a national spokesperson for the social integration of people with disabilities under patronage of the Italian President a few years ago.
Disbled People’s International Italia http://www.dpitalia.org/ Cooperative Interate Onlus The mission of CO.IN. it is the development of the professions and employment of disadvantaged people (physically and mentally disabled, subject to the risk of social exclusion) through the social integration of work integration. http://www.coinsociale.it/
Agency for a Digital Italy: Website accessibility site, goals, assessors, and ministerial decrees for IT accessibility European Disability Forum (EDF) is an independent European non-governmental organization (ENGO) that represents the interests of 50 million disabled people in the European Union and stands for their rights. It was created in 1996 and is based in Brussels.
References
Services for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Italy
Italian Accessibility Requirements