Jobs for disabled persons in private sector

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

A plan has been drawn up to provide disabled persons employment in the private sector with assistance from several leading companies and banks.

A code on managing disabled persons at the workplace was launched last Thursday in Colombo in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) amidst a large gathering of corporate executives and state officials. The code was prepared by the Employers Federation of Ceylon to provide employment for disabled persons in the private sector.

The Executive Director of the National Centre for the Promotion of Employment for Disabled People Javid Abidi, was the keynote speaker at this function.

"We have drawn up a code for the benefit of private sector companies as to how they could manage disabled persons. There are a number of such unemployed disabled persons who could be beneficial to companies," Director General of the Employees Federation of Ceylon Gotabaya Dassanayaka said recently.

He said the code was a voluntary code and does not have any legal binding on private sector companies. It is a guide to manage disabled employees at a workplace. The objective of drafting such a code was to enhance employment opportunities for disabled persons in the private sector. The Employees Federation of Ceylon (EFC) sees this as an ideal opportunity to provide jobs for disabled persons in the private sector. The move could benefit the employee and the employer, he said.

The EFC formulated such a scheme in 2005 to provide jobs for those with disabilities with assistance from CEI Plastics Ltd, Coca Cola Beverages Sri Lanka Ltd, Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd, Hatton National Bank Ltd, ID Lanka Ltd, James Finlay and Co (Colombo) Ltd, John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation, Lanka Hospitals Corporation Ltd, MAS Holding Ltd, Namunukula Plantations Ltd, Nestle Lanka Ltd, Paxar Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and Watawala Plantations Ltd.

Since 2000 the EFC had been promoting employment opportunities for disabled persons and have conducted training programs in employment related skills and placement in employment through job fairs.

One hundred disabled persons had been found employment in 2002, 2003, 2004 and over 200 disabled persons have undergone training in job seeking skills. The Motivation Charitable Trust, Ministry of Social Services, USAID and its member company network had supported the EFC.