By Nina Tsifudina, Denitsa Kuzeva
On 2 April 2019 the rules for the implementation of Bulgaria’s new Persons with Disabilities Act (the “Act”) entered into force. The rules detail the obligation of employers in Bulgaria with more than 50 employees to hire a minimum number of disabled persons[1]—an obligation introduced by the Act at the beginning of 2019.
What are the new requirements?
The law aims to improve access to employment for disabled persons. The new rules state that companies with more than 50 but less than 99 employees must hire at least one permanently disabled person. For companies with 100 or more employees, the quota is set at 2 per cent of the number of employees in the company.
In addition, employers must now report the number of unoccupied positions designated for disabled persons and the qualification and work experience required for each position to the respective local department of the Bulgarian Employment Agency. Employers should also notify the Employment Agency if they plan to use recruitment services to hire disabled persons to fulfil their quota obligations.
