Policy innovations for including disabled people in the labour market: A study of innovative practices of Dutch sheltered work companies

Abstract

In its disability strategy, the European Union has expressed the central aim to improve the employment situation of people with disabilities. This article discusses Dutch policies, but specifically the Sheltered Work Act which contributes to this aim by regulating sheltered employment. The goal is to identify and explore innovative practices that have been applied by Dutch sheltered work companies for increasing the inclusion of disabled people in the regular labour market. The article reveals that the Netherlands has implemented a range of initiatives which together have resulted in an increase of non-sheltered jobs for disabled people. The article argues that the simple "sheltered/non-sheltered" dichotomy does not do justice to the gradual evolution of labour participation among individual disabled people and that the role of sheltered work places as a first step to the inclusion of disabled people should not be underestimated. © 2014 International Social Security Association.