Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Lithuania (Ratification: 1994)

Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. National policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that in 2012–13 several vocational rehabilitation centres were established and equipped with adapted facilities within the framework of the activity “Development of vocational rehabilitation infrastructure for persons with disabilities” under the 2007–13 Promotion of Cohesion Operation Programme. The Committee notes that the Action Plan for Increasing Social Inclusion for 2014–20 focuses on increasing labour market opportunities by means of active measures, including services for strengthening competencies of persons with disabilities. It notes with interest that, in 2014, within the framework of the implementation of the National Programme for Social Integration of the Disabled 2013–19, 413 social rehabilitation service projects for persons with disabilities in communities were selected in all municipalities, benefiting about 37,500 persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the 2013 version of the “specification of criteria for establishing the need for vocational rehabilitation services” changed the procedure for establishing the need for vocational rehabilitation. The procedure now requires a territorial labour exchange office to decide whether an applicant for a vocational rehabilitation programme should be referred to the Disability and Capacity for Work Establishment Office, taking into account the person’s professional criteria and motivation. Moreover, persons with 45 per cent or less working capacity are eligible to participate in the vocational rehabilitation programmes and persons with minor disabilities or 50–55 per cent disability levels must be referred to formal vocational training programmes. The Committee notes that, in accordance with the specification of the procedure for inspection of vocational rehabilitation service providers, approved in 2013, inspections are carried out by the territorial labour exchange offices. The Government indicates that the registered number of unemployed persons with disabilities decreased from 15,141 in 2010 to 13,764 in 2012, while the number of persons with disabilities obtaining employment increased from 4,883 in 2010 to 6,078 in 2012. It also indicates that, in 2013, 896 persons with disabilities, including 34 persons with severe disabilities, took part in vocational rehabilitation programmes and 529 of them have completed the programmes successfully, adding that 61 per cent have found employment within six months of completion. The Committee welcomes the detailed information received and invites the Government to continue to provide information on the results achieved by the national policies on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities as well as on the employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the open labour market. It also invites the Government to continue to include disaggregated statistics, extracts from reports, studies and inquiries concerning the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 4. Equality of opportunity and treatment. The Government indicates that, from 2009 to March 2014, 11,947 persons with disabilities (out of which 4,864 were women) have been referred to the active labour market policy measures, among which 2,943 (out of which 1,100 were women) have been employed in new jobs or have created their own jobs. It also indicates that workers with disabilities have priority over other workers in terms of protection of employment, as well as with respect to annual leave pursuant to the Labour Code. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures taken to ensure equal opportunity and treatment between workers with disabilities, including women workers with disabilities, and other workers.

Article 5. Consultation of the social partners. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the activities of the Tripartite Commission under the Lithuanian Labour Exchange on the matters covered by the Convention, including the manner in which the representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities are consulted on these matters.

Article 8. Services in rural areas. The Government indicates that there are 12 providers of vocational rehabilitation services in operation. The Committee requests the Government to specify the measures taken to promote the accessibility of the vocational rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities in rural areas.