[MHLW] Presentation of Proposals for New Subsidies and Expansion of Existing Subsidies under the Act to Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Disabilities
On February 17, 2023, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) presented proposals for new subsidies and expansion of existing subsidies under the Act to Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Disabilities at the 125th meeting of Labour Policy Council's Employment of Persons with Disabilities Division.
The proposal is in response to the "Act to Partially Amend the Act for Comprehensive Support for the Daily and Social Life of Persons with Disabilities and other Acts" (Act No. 104), enacted on December 16, 2022, including the update of the "Act to Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Disabilities (PWD Employment Facilitation Act)." The amended Act establishes new subsidies and expands existing subsidies to strengthen employer support (Article 49 of the PWD Employment Facilitation Act).
The proposals' contents regarding these new subsidies and the expansion of the existing subsidies are as follows:
| New | Subsidy for Consultation and Assistance in the Employment of Persons with Disabilities (Tentative name) |
Provides subsidies to those who offer a series of consultation and assistance services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and such, relating to the necessary management of employment so that SMEs can hire new persons with disabilities and continue to employ workers with disabilities. [This subsidy is to be added to the amount for SMEs and employers who have been allowed to set an exclusion rate.*] *Exclusion rates were determined according to the percentage of jobs in each industry that were generally considered problematic for persons with disabilities to work in. |
| New | Subsidy for Workplace Adaptation for Persons with Disabilities of Middle and Senior Age (tentative name) |
In order to ensure the continued employment of workers with disabilities who have difficulty adapting to the workplace due to aging, subsidies are provided to employers to provide: (1) Skills development for job transition. (2) Assignment or commissioning of personnel necessary for work performance. (3) Establishment of facilities necessary for work performance and the like. [The subsidy is added to employers of SMEs and those employing large numbers of workers.] |
| Existing | Subsidy for Personal Assistance to Persons with Disabilities | When employers launch support by: (1) Assignment of specialists necessary to manage the employment of persons with disabilities. (2) Assignment of persons who specialize in tasks necessary for developing and improving the vocational abilities of persons with disabilities. (3) Developing and improving the vocational abilities of persons who assist persons with disabilities. |
| Existing | Subsidy for Workplace Adaptation Assistants (Job Coaches) |
The Subsidy for Job Coaches is to be improved in the unit price of the support, the maximum daily payment limit, and the number of times employers can use job coaches. |
| Existing | Common to all subsidies | (1) Specified short-time workers (workers who work 10 to 20 hours per week) due to severe physical disabilities, severe intellectual disabilities, or psychosocial disabilities will be added to the list of those eligible for subsidies. (2) It shall be clearly stated that subsidies will be provided if certain requirements are met, such as allowing employers to apply not only at the time of hiring persons with disabilities, but also after the period of employment when there is a change in the job description that involves a change in working conditions. (3) Improve items that were individually requested by companies at the hearings (e.g., an extension of the payment period). |
| Existing | Subsidy for Installation of Work Facilities for Persons with Disabilities | Improvement of matters explicitly requested by companies at hearings (i.e., provide sufficient subsidies for individual equipment, facilities, etc.). |
The Subsidies for Consultation and Assistance Services in the Employment of Persons with Disabilities (tentative name) is noteworthy in that it introduces a new concept of providing employment and consultation and assistance providers that hire persons with disabilities with subsidies based on their performance.
See below for more information:https:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/shingi/shingi-rousei_126985.html
