The latest news on disability employment, workplace inclusion, and accessibility from around the world.
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The UK work and pensions secretary visited Denmark to learn from its 'Fleksjobs' scheme, which provides subsidised part-time employment with dedicated support for people with reduced work capacity, achieving a disability employment rate increase from 44% to 61% since 2012. The UK government is considering similar approaches as disability-related unemployment among young people has risen significantly, with 45.3% of NEETs now classified as disabled compared to 21% in 2014.
The UK Work and Pensions Secretary discusses how young people with mental health conditions and neurodiversity should be supported into employment rather than remaining on benefits, citing Denmark's Fleksjob scheme as a model that enables disabled workers to remain employed with reduced hours and adjustments. The Government plans to introduce new legislation next year in response to reviews on disability benefits reform and youth employment.
Bridge Creative, a social enterprise, is opening Bridgeworks, a new employment and skills hub in Bishop Auckland designed to help people with learning disabilities and autistic people develop practical skills, gain qualifications, and access paid employment across diverse industries. The hub will offer vocational training, work experience, and enterprise activities with a focus on supporting young people transitioning from education into employment.
UK Department for Work and Pensions figures show disabled people have a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point employment gap that has worsened over the past year. The article analyzes whether this gap reflects actual barriers to employment or changes in how disability is defined in official statistics.
Riverside Industries Inc. appointed Markus Jones as president and CEO; the organization's mission is empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through employment, community engagement and personal growth. During Jones's interim leadership, RSI completed a $500,000 construction project to create a new space for its Production Department, a social enterprise that employs program participants with disabilities.
The American Legion held its third Department Service Officer Symposium, training 62 veteran service officers from across the nation on navigating the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits system. The training, conducted by Bergmann & Moore law firm, focuses on helping veterans access disability compensation and benefits, with participants emphasizing how the evolving system requires continuous professional development to better serve veterans with disabilities.
The Milburn review recommends the UK government create and subsidize paid jobs for disabled young people through 'flexi-jobs', employment subsidies, and skills support to address high unemployment rates among disabled 16-24 year-olds. The review proposes adopting a Danish-style flexible employment scheme, job carving, and voluntary employer targets for hiring disabled youth, while suggesting disability benefit spending be redirected toward employment support.
The Inclusion in Awards 2026 recognised leaders, teams and organisations driving workplace inclusion across hospitality, travel, leisure and retail sectors, with specific awards for disability inclusion and social mobility initiatives. The event also raised £300,000 for Team Domenica, a charity supporting young people with learning disabilities into employment.
The Arc of Northeast Pinal County, under new director Rosalie Gutierrez, serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through programs focused on skill development, social inclusion, and employment opportunities including work at a thrift store and yard-cleaning projects. The organization helps transition students from school to adulthood and coordinates with local school districts and the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Division of Developmental Disabilities.
UK government statistics show 5.6 million disabled people were employed in April-June 2026, with a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point disability employment gap. The data reveals disabled people face higher rates of job loss, lower transition rates into employment, and are more likely to be underemployed or working in lower-skilled occupations.
A Cork pub has partnered with tech company AssistiV Ireland to hire David Mullins, a man with an intellectual disability, using touch-screen technology that converts complex tasks into simple visual and audio cues to support his work as a bartender and server. The technology is now being rolled out across Irish hospitality venues to address employment barriers for people with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism, with 48 people currently supported in roles across hospitality and other sectors.
Cheshire West and Chester has reduced its NEET (not in education, employment or training) rate to 3.62%, with the council working with partners including training providers to develop tailored support for vulnerable groups including young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The article highlights flexible pathways and programmes designed to help young people with disabilities and mental health challenges access education, training and employment.
A new federal Medicaid work requirement taking effect January 2027 exempts parents of children 13 and under, but leaves implementation to states with vague guidance on defining "some level of care," risking that non-resident parents providing substantial childcare may lose coverage. The article recommends state measures to ensure inclusive implementation of the parental exemption.
Belarus is implementing a financing model where business and the state will equally fund employment opportunities for people with disabilities. This policy aims to expand employment prospects for disabled individuals through shared public-private investment.
Ghana's government has announced plans to introduce free tertiary education for persons with disabilities and enforce a minimum 5% employment quota in public and private institutions. The government is also pursuing legislative reforms to strengthen disability protections and establishing disability desks in local assemblies, while a charity organization plans to create an Ability Village offering vocational training and employment support.
The Raw Carrot is a Canadian social enterprise that employs people facing barriers to work, including those with disabilities, by offering dignified paid employment in a flexible, supportive workplace environment. The organization operates 10 locations across Canada and demonstrates how inclusive employment models can provide purpose, independence and economic security for disabled and disadvantaged job seekers.
Rep. Haley Stevens introduced the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act, which would allow workers in physically demanding occupations like construction, nursing, and manufacturing to claim full Social Security benefits at age 60 instead of 67. The article explains the bill's eligibility criteria, financial implications, and obstacles to passage, including concerns about Social Security's solvency.
The UK Government is developing welfare reforms for 2027 that could affect around one million young people, potentially changing access to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit through a separate benefits system with more intensive employment support. The Department for Work and Pensions is also reviewing the PIP assessment process to improve how it identifies the needs of people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.
The article explains how Section 1619(b) of the Social Security Act allows disabled workers in Ohio to retain Medicaid coverage after their earnings become too high for SSI cash benefits, with Ohio's 2026 threshold set at $50,138 annually. Research shows remote work has significantly increased full-time employment among people with physical disabilities, though workers must navigate complex benefit rules when accepting higher-paying positions.
The UK government's budget announcement delays decisions on disability benefit cuts and reforms, with final reports on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and support for young people expected in November and government response by year-end. The budget includes some measures to ease disability poverty such as energy bill payments and changes to carer's allowance, but hints at future cuts to PIP spending.
UK employment minister Andrew Western has stated that 'all work is good for health' and wants 'everyone' to get jobs, marking a departure from the government's previous position that only 'good work' is beneficial and acknowledging that some disabled people cannot work. Disability activists have expressed alarm at this shift, warning that pressuring disabled claimants into unsuitable work could harm their wellbeing and safety.
Moldova's government is implementing labor market reforms targeting vulnerable groups including people caring for disabled individuals, with measures such as skills training and transport cost reimbursement to increase workforce participation. The country has Europe's lowest employment rate (55%) and highest inactivity rate, with women caring for persons with disabilities identified as a significant group outside the workforce.
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