Unions, MPs work on jobs deal for people with disabilities

The Cabinet is planning to increase the number of jobs for people with disabilities with 100,000 up to 2026. The plan is now being contested by employers and employees, who want a more broad definition of the disability employment regulation, BNR reports. The Cabinet plans are aimed at people who are not able to earn the lawful minimum wage. Employers and employees are now arguing that higher-educated individuals with disabilities may be left out of the plan. Labour union presidents Hans de Boer of VNO-NCW and Ton Heerts of FNV believe that the agreements made with social partners and State Secretary Jetta Klijnsma of Social Affairs may leave out these higher-educated individuals. MP for the PvdA, John Kerstens, agrees that the number of jobs for disabled people have to increase. A Parliament majority of VVD, PvdA, CDA and D66 are open to discuss the issue. Pieter Heerma of the CDA and Steven van Weyenberg of the D66 are not yet on board. Klijnsma will introduce a measure that would obligate companies to reserve a quota of five percent for employing disabled individuals. The companies will be fined if they fail to do so. This measure will be imposed if the agreed number of jobs is not reached by 2026. Experts predict that employers will rather pay the fine than to take on employees with disabilities, BNR writes.