The persons with special needs have to change their specialization after they are classed as disabled, but a large part of them cannot learn a new profession as the education institution where they want to study is far from home and it is very hard for them to cover large distances. Even if many persons with health problems want to embrace a career so as to earn their living and not to stay home all day long, this remains only a dream as they do not have money to pay for rented accommodations during studies, said Mihail Mărginean, president of the Society of Invalids.
In towns, the persons with disabilities have chances to find employment, but in villages these chances are practically inexistent. “The local public authorities are not interested in creating conditions for the persons with disabilities to work as shoemakers, watchmakers, dressmakers, tailors or to repair household appliances at centers similar to the previous social service houses. The renting of areas where persons with disabilities can develop small businesses is too expensive for the pockets of these people,” stated Mihail Mărginean.
Therefore, a part of the people with special needs resort to handicrafts and do different crocheted or knitted items. In the absence of authorizations or patents, these small entrepreneurs are often driven away by the police when they want to sell handmade works.
The president of the Society of Invalids noted Moldova does not have accurate statistics about the number of persons with special needs who have a job as many employees of this category hide the fact that they have a disability degree for fear of being fired or discriminated.
Not many employers of the private sector hire persons with disabilities. Law No. 60 of 2012 concerning the social inclusion of persons with disabilities provides that the employers, regardless of the legal form of organization, which have 20 employees and more reserve at least 5% of the posts for persons with disabilities. But the law does not stipulate penalties for employers that do not hire such persons and the legal provisions remain primarily on paper.
There were cases when persons with epilepsy sued employers that refused to hire them, but the courts ruled in favor of employers as these argued that they cannot also employ a doctor who would permanently supervise persons with epileptic fits, said Mihail Mărginean.
According to official statistics, there are about 180,000 persons with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova.
