Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic took part at the panel “Inclusion at the labor market – where is the stumbling stone?” within Seventh European Congress for Persons with Disabilities “Living in Encounter” in Belgrade. Panel goal is to enable dialog and education about who employs persons with disabilities in Serbia, how the working ability judgment is being made and why employers often choose to pay penal than to employ a person with disability.

Commissioner Jankovic stated that one of major problems for persons with disabilities in area of labor and employment is the reasonable adaptation of working places or jobs, especially at the open labor market, explaining that employers often don’t understand the concept of reasonable adaptation that usually requires no more than good will and readiness. She said that various affirmative measures at the labor market gave certain results, but it is necessary to take measures of permanent inspection, as well as fast and efficient court protection in cases of law violation. Jankovic stressed that institute of complete restriction of legal capacity still is a significant problem that excludes great number of people from the labor market. Commissioner reminded that she recently had a meeting with Association of Companies for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities that stands as a good practice example and that it would be good to take over good examples from these companies. Better harmonization of educational system and labor market is of outmost importance.

Thomas Kraus, founder of European Congress for Persons with Disabilities “Living in Encounter” said that we all see that someone is different but we should ask who is that person and how can we understand it. Other panelists were also Zoran Martinovic, director of National Employment Service, Marija Ignjatovic, director of company for professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities “Novitas Consult”, Tijana Koprivica, director of Delta Holding Sustainable Business and Afrodita Bajic, co-owner of Afrodite Mode Collection fashion company.