Opening Up the Labour Market to People with

Disabilities.The French Experience.

François Atger, Territorial Director.

9 octobre 2007 / 2

1. A snapshot of the French population with disabilities

2. An overview of Agefiph

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 3

• A snapshot of the French disabled population

9 octobre 2007 / 4

1 459 000

179 000

901 000

2 210 000

0

500 000

1 000 000

1 500 000

2 000 000

2 500 000

Officially aknowledged

disability

Sheltered employment Unable to work No official title

12.6% of the working age population but only 3.9 % officially aknowledged

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

INSEE HID (1999 census)

9 octobre 2007 / 5

Unemployed Disabled All

Women 33% 47%

50 and older 27% 16%

High school degree and over 17% 36%

Workless since 1 year and over 41% 31%

Workless since 2 years and over 19% 12%

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

A few figures

9 octobre 2007 / 6

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

42% working

35 % jobseekers

23% others 3% = retired

8% = illnesses 3% = professional training 9% = ?

The french disabled population

9 octobre 2007 / 7

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

Persons with disabilities:

Graduate less,

Are less trained,

Are more touched by recurrent unemployment,

Are more often in part-time jobs

9 octobre 2007 / 8

A high inactivity ratio / older workers

0

50 000

100 000

150 000

200 000

250 000

300 000

350 000

400 000

16-29 30-49 50-59 60-640

2 000 000

4 000 000

6 000 000

8 000 000

10 000 000

12 000 000

14 000 000

16 000 000

18 000 000

16-29 30-49 50-59 60-64

Others

Retired

student

Jobless

Working

France Disabled persons

Working : 53,4% 88,6% 74,5% 14,9% 58,9% 65,7% 30,5% 1,8%

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

9 octobre 2007 / 9

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

14,9%

53,4%

88,6%

74,5%

58,9%

65,7%

30,5%

1,8%

16 / 29 30 / 49 50 / 59 60 / 64

French population French disabled population[HID 1999 ]

Compared activity ratio

9 octobre 2007 / 10

1. A snapshot of the French disabled population

50 and over High school and

university

graduates

Unemployed for over a year

Disabled persons

Global population

Compared features

9 octobre 2007 / 11

• An overview

9 octobre 2007 / 12

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

Agefiph was created by the 1987 act enforcing a 6% employment quota of disabled persons.

Four manners of discharging legal obligation

1. Recruiting

2. Subcontracting with sheltered workshops

3. Signature of a company agreement for employment of disabled persons

4. Payment of a contribution to AGEFIPH

For each unit not hired under the 6% quota, the contribution to Agefiph goes form 400 to 600 times the French minimum hourly wage depending the size of the staff of a company.

9 octobre 2007 / 13

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

The Agefiph collection (in million €)

In 2005 a new act reinforced employment obligations and set stricter rules in the count of disabled units within companies

9 octobre 2007 / 14

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

Agefiph is a non profit organization managed jointly by employers, trade unions and associations of disabled persons.

3 activities• Tax collection• Fund management• Project subsidizing

9 octobre 2007 / 15

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

5 main areas are covered

1. Information and awareness campaigns

2. Placement (108 dedicated job centers, 53 800 plcts in

2007)

3. Return to work

- Individualized plans for employment

- Vocational guiding and training programs

9 octobre 2007 / 16

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

… 5 areas covered

4.Employment assistance• Job retention (9 300 in 2007)

• Self employment (3000 in 2007, average subsidy = 8400 € + advice for 2700€)

• Work adaptations (4000 in 2007, average susidy = 4600€)• Technical and human assistance

5. Research, experiencing and innovation.

9 octobre 2007 / 17

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

Preparing the disabled person

Offsetting technical barriers

Sensitizing the economic world

Technical aids

Work adapatations

Diagnosis-counselling

Agreement policy

Increasing entrances on the labour market

Placement teams

Financial incentives

Self employment

Reducing non desired leaves

Job retention

Income guarantee

&

Vocationnal guidance

Vocationnal training

9 octobre 2007 / 18

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

Principles of interventions

In the private sector

Excluding sheltered employment

Public partnership (cooperation and co-financing) with the state and local governments

9 octobre 2007 / 19

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

Full national coverage20 branch offices

Manpower:300 employees

Core business:52 000 requests

of subsidies and grants per year

Fund raising604 M€

58 000 companies

SUBSIDIZING470 M€

150 000 persons

65 000 companies

9 octobre 2007 / 20

2. A quick overview of Agefiph

6,5% 2,5%

27%64%

Direct support to disabled workers and companies [ 64% ]

Specialized professionals [ 27% ] Coordination, consulting [ 2,5% ]Internal costs [ 6,5% ]

Placement services, Job retention, Specific deficiency, Awareness raising, Advice to companies, Ergonomics…

2/3 subsidies and grants go to direct support

9 octobre 2007 / 21

3. A quick overview of Agefiph

Agefiph supports over the 4 past years

Supports to persons(65 000 to employers)

Financially

9 octobre 2007 / 22

3. Results and prospects

• Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 23

31% exclusively by employing disable persons

35% pay the Agefiph contribution and/or employing disabled persons and/or subcontracting with sheltered workshops

7% sign an agreement with trade unions

27% exclusively contribute to Agefiph

10 years after the 1987 act, how do companies fulfill their employment obligation?

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 24

Disabled persons at work

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 25

3. A quick overview of Agefiph toolbox

Placements by the 108 dedicated case managing teams « Cap emploi » funded by Agefiph

9 octobre 2007 / 26

46,545,1

43,9 43,4 42,6 42,2

38,4 37,8 37,2

30,328,4

25,424,0 23,5

Germ

any

Franc

e

Portugal

Austria

Denm

ark

Finla

nd

Nether

lands

UK

Luxem

burg

Belgiu

mIta

ly

Irela

nd

Spain

Greec

e

An European comparison of the activity ratio of disabled people

Quota + Funds - Quota without funds - No quota in private sector

University of Namur, Belgium

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 27

Issues and prospects: economics

A continual growth of placements over the past 10 years, despite a slight drop in 2004-2005

The jobs that have been created are globally of a lower quality

The unemployment of the disabled persons decreases more slowly

This concerns more particularly disabled people aged 50 and over

The French economy has seen a continuous growth of service and information sectors

Increased qualifications standards of jobs

A growing number of sectors, (building, tourism, food services) are experiencing difficulty in finding qualified manpower.

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 28

Demographics

An increase of retirements, disabled employees being older than the rest of the working population

An increase of needs concerning job retention and vocational retraining

- age being a factor in the acquisition and aggravation of disabilities

- concerns more particularly disabled people aged 50 and +

Ageing will cause an increased tension on the labour market

- can be an opportunity for disabled persons

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 29

Vocational training• concerns low qualified disabled job seekers • reaches a balance between

-preparatory job training that favours the integration of persons with disabilities - training during the course of employment, in order to

prevent the exclusion of disabled workers Strategies directed towards employers

• Contacting each and every company over a staff of 20 and not employing disabled persons in order to make a diagonsis of its situation• Integrated services facilitating the access to information, support, job retention

Priorities : adjusting supply and demand ... under constraint

3. Results and prospects

9 octobre 2007 / 30

Thank you for listening