Background information

According to Izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o tržištu rada (Amendments to Labour Market Act) (OG 118/18, 32/20, 18/22), unemployed person with disabilities is eligible to Novčana pomoć za nezaposlenu osobu s invaliditetom (Financial aid for unemployed persons with disabilities). The benefit was earlier managed by the Centers for Social Welfare, while now it is an obligation of the Croatian Employment Service.

Content of measure

With previous regulation, it was called Pre-employment supplement (Naknada do zaposlenja) and it was financial aid for unemployed persons with disabilities. It was received by younger persons with severe disability or other severe permanent changes in their health condition, who have finished their education, are able to work and unemployed. The amount of benefit is HRK 350 (€46.5) and could not be obtained simultaneously with the Supplement for constant care.

With the amendments to Labour Market Act, the conditions are almost the same but instead of the Centers for Social Welfare who were previously responsible for the management of the benefit, not it is a duty of the Croatian Employment Service. The right is cancelled on the day of the beneficiary's employment and can be re-acknowledged if the employment ceased without his or her fault and wish.

Conditions for financial aid for an unemployed person with a disability in 2022 (since 17 February 2022 in responsibility of the Croatian Employment Service - CES) are following:

1. The recipient should be registered in the register of unemployed persons of the CES
2. They should achieve primary, secondary or tertiary educational attainment
3. At least 15 years of age
4. They should have a physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment.

Recipients of the financial aid until employment who exercise this right according to the regulations on social welfare retain their recognized right and the same benefit will be paid by the Center for Social Welfare until the Croatian Employment Service issues new administrative decisions to determine whether they meet the conditions for recognizing the right to financial assistance for unemployed persons with disabilities according to the Amendments to the Labour Market Act.

Use of measure

According to the information obtained on request by the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy in 2022 there were 1,638 beneficiaries of this right.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Unemployed	Does not apply to businesses	Disabled

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Public employment service	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

The representatives of social partners are members of the Governing Board of the Croatian Employment Service and therefore in that way the participated in the design, implementation and monitoring of the measure.

Views and reactions

The Croatian Employers' Association (CEA) deems that there are too many changes in the legal framework which leads to the dangerous legal instability. However, social partners are fully aware of the importance of an adequate aid to the persons with disabilities but deem that this aid is very modest and should be increased.

Sources

• 28 January 2022: Amendments to the Labour Market Act (Dopuna Zakona o tržištu rada) (www.zakon.hr)
• 06 July 2022: Financial aid for unemployed persons with disabilities (Novčana pomoć za nezaposlenu osobu s invaliditetom) (czss-samobor.hr)