Employment of Persons with Disabilities: Legal Obligation, Social Responsibility, and Business Opportunity

(Patria) - The employment of persons with disabilities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a legal obligation
for employers, but also a strong mechanism for building an inclusive and sustainable labor market. In accordance with the Law on Professional Rehabilitation, Training, and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, employers in the open labor market, including state bodies, public institutions, and public enterprises, are obliged to employ at least one person with a disability for every 16 employees.

If they fail to meet this obligation, they are required to pay a special monthly contribution to the Fund in the amount of 25% of the average salary in the Federation of BiH for each person they were obliged to employ. By employing a person with any percentage of disability for every 16 employees, employers save approximately 4,800.00 KM annually, based on the average salary in 2025.

Funds collected on this basis are returned through incentives for employment and self-employment, professional rehabilitation, workplace adaptation, and continuous support for employed persons with disabilities. Employers who are not subject to the obligation from Article 18, but have the possibility to employ persons with disabilities, are entitled to legally prescribed incentives and benefits, with the obligation to pay 0.5% of the total gross salary amount monthly, unless they employ persons with disabilities in accordance with the law.

Practical Examples

Positive practical experiences confirm that inclusion brings measurable results. Marija Lučić, director of the Public Institution Old People's Home Tomislavgrad, says that a person who was employed became socialized, greatly helped the environment of the home and her work within it, meaning a lot of work was done in the areas she could handle.

Precisely such examples from the field further emphasize the importance of a systemic approach and consistent application of the legal framework, as highlighted by the Fund's management. Fund Director Ahmet Baljić emphasizes the need for consistent application of the law.

"It is extremely important for the Fund that the Law on Professional Rehabilitation, Training, and Employment of Persons with Disabilities is adopted as soon as possible. Primarily because there are still a significant number of employers who do not respect relevant legal obligations, do not employ an adequate number of persons with disabilities, and do not pay special contributions."

He adds that the Fund realizes all measures and activities primarily from funds collected from special contributions, and warns that without an adequate legal solution, existing support programs could be jeopardized.

Private Sector

On the other hand, experiences from the private sector show that inclusion is not just a regulatory obligation, but also a development strategy. Vedad Vajzović, president of the center "ProReha" and director of "Greens" d.o.o., points to the importance of a universal approach.

"The company adapted the production process for persons with disabilities from the beginning, as this was our goal in principle, to show that every workplace can be inclusive, that every workplace can be a place for employing persons with disabilities, so everything we do, we do according to the principle of universal design, so that it is adapted for persons with disabilities, as well as for anyone else without a disability who has certain difficulties in the work process itself."

This approach confirms the broader social dimension of this issue, discussed by Mirza Ustamujić, director of Energoinvest d.d. Sarajevo, who emphasizes that inclusion goes beyond business frameworks and becomes a matter of collective responsibility.

System Efficiency

Data confirms the system's efficiency: 8,079 allocated incentives, 1,432 individuals covered by rehabilitation programs, 7,331 financed or co-financed programs, and 3,787 employed persons with disabilities receiving continuous financial support.

The employment of persons with disabilities is thus confirmed as a model that simultaneously strengthens business performance, reputation, and social responsibility, but above all ensures the right to work and dignity for those who need support the most.