Study on alternative employment models for persons with disabilities : set-up, working conditions and pathways to the open labour market in inclusive enterprises and sheltered workshops : summary

Alternative employment models are organisational models that enable persons with disabilities to participate in productive work by using sheltered employment settings. There is a lot of variety among alternative employment models, which can basically be grouped into: ) - Sheltered workshops : These are work settings where individuals with disabilities work mostly among themselves, separate from non-disabled workers, performing specific tasks deemed suitable for them. Employment conditions differ from those in the open labour market, as they follow a specific regulatory framework. Sheltered workshops are typically run by non-profit organisations. -Sheltered employment in work integration enterprises : These settings are designed for persons with disabilities but grant them full employee status, including access to minimum wage or collectively bargained compensation. Such enterprises focus on integrating persons with disabilities into employment and often employ both disabled and non-disabled workers. They may follow a non-profit social enterprise model, known as work integration social enterprises (WISEs), or operate as for-profit entities in some Member States. Both sheltered workshops and other providers of sheltered employment can make use of apprenticeships, work experience programs and external workplaces in an effort to address segregation between persons with and without disabilities, and to prepare their workers for a possible transition to a position in the open labour market.