Across Europe, improving access to employment for people with disabilities has become a policy priority. The European Union, together with national governments, has introduced legislation, financial incentives, and employment support measures to reduce labour market inequalities. Despite these efforts, employment outcomes remain uneven across Member States. Cyprus, Italy, Portugal and Poland illustrate how countries can share similar policy objectives while facing different challenges in implementation.

Cyprus: Small Labour Market, Continuing Accessibility Challenges

Cyprus has adopted European disability legislation and supports the employment of people with disabilities through public employment services, vocational training, and anti-discrimination measures. However, the country’s relatively small labour market can limit employment opportunities, particularly in specialised professions.

Research from the European Commission indicates that one of the main challenges is not the absence of legislation but ensuring that accessibility is consistently implemented across workplaces. Small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up a large proportion of employers in Cyprus, may have fewer resources to provide workplace accommodations or develop inclusive recruitment practices. As a result, access to employment can depend heavily on employer awareness and organisational capacity rather than legal protections alone.

For Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, communication accessibility remains particularly important. While legislation recognises the right to reasonable accommodation, practical measures such as sign language interpretation, captioning, and accessible workplace communication are not yet consistently available across all sectors.

Italy: Strong Legal Framework, Persistent Employment Barriers

Italy has one of Europe’s most established legal frameworks for disability employment. Law No. 68/1999 introduced a quota system requiring employers above a certain size to recruit workers with disabilities, while public employment services support job matching and vocational integration.

Despite these measures, the OECD reports that people with disabilities in Italy continue to face a substantially higher risk of unemployment than the general population. Once unemployed, they are also less likely to return to work, increasing the likelihood of long-term unemployment. These findings suggest that legislation alone cannot eliminate structural barriers within the labour market.

Recent OECD analysis argues that future improvements should focus on strengthening employer engagement, improving workplace accommodations, and supporting career development rather than concentrating solely on recruitment.

Portugal: Expanding Employment Policies and Employer Responsibility

Portugal has significantly strengthened its disability employment policies over the past decade. In addition to long-standing employment quotas within the public sector, Law No. 4/2019 introduced quota requirements for medium and large private-sector employers. The government also provides wage subsidies, supported internships, and incentives to encourage sustainable employment for people with disabilities.

These developments demonstrate a gradual shift from welfare-based approaches towards greater labour market participation. Nevertheless, challenges remain in ensuring that legislation is consistently implemented across different sectors and regions.

Beyond recruitment, Portuguese policy increasingly recognises the importance of workplace accessibility, employer support, and reasonable accommodation. As in many European countries, successful inclusion depends not only on legal obligations but also on organisational culture and employers’ willingness to adopt inclusive practices.

Poland: High Labour Demand, Low Participation of People with Disabilities

Poland has experienced sustained economic growth and increasing labour demand in recent years. Despite these favourable labour market conditions, participation among people with disabilities remains comparatively low.

According to the European Commission’s 2025 Country Report, the disability employment gap increased to 35.6 percentage points, considerably above the EU average. Labour force participation among people with disabilities is just above 50%, reflecting persistent barriers to entering and remaining in employment. Limited access to tailored employment support and rehabilitation services continues to affect labour market participation, despite recent reforms to employment services.

This illustrates that labour shortages alone do not automatically improve employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Active labour market policies, accessible workplaces, and employer engagement remain essential.

Shared Challenges Across the Four Countries

Although Cyprus, Italy, Portugal and Poland differ in their labour market structures and policy frameworks, several common themes emerge.

First, all four countries have strengthened legal protections and employment policies for people with disabilities. However, research from the OECD, Eurofound and the European Commission suggests that implementation remains uneven across workplaces. Legal rights do not always translate into accessible recruitment, effective workplace accommodations, or equal opportunities for career progression.

Second, communication accessibility continues to be an important issue for Deaf and hard of hearing employees. Providing sign language interpretation, captioning, accessible digital communication, and inclusive workplace practices remains essential for ensuring equal participation throughout employment rather than only during recruitment.

Finally, all four countries face a similar challenge: moving from policy compliance to meaningful inclusion. Measuring success solely by employment rates provides only part of the picture. Retention, career development, leadership opportunities, and workplace accessibility are equally important indicators of an inclusive labour market.

Conclusion

Cyprus, Italy, Portugal and Poland have each made progress towards improving labour market participation for people with disabilities. However, evidence from European and international organisations indicates that legislation alone is insufficient to close employment gaps. Continued investment in accessible workplaces, employer support, reasonable accommodations, and inclusive communication practices will be necessary to ensure that people with disabilities, including Deaf and hard of hearing professionals, can participate fully in the labour market.

References

• European Commission. (2025). Employment of Persons with Disabilities: Statistics (2022 Data).
• European Commission. (2025). Country Report – Poland.
• European Commission. Striving for an Inclusive Labour Market in Portugal.
• Eurofound. (2021). Disability and Labour Market Integration: Policy Trends and Support in EU Member States.
• OECD. (2023). Disability, Work and Inclusion in Italy.