THE ROLE OF THE CROATIAN EMPLOYMENT INSTITUTE IN SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF DISABLED PERSONS

The social integration of disabled persons is a comprehensive issue and it presumes inclusion of disabled persons into everyday's life (education, cultural events, employment..) without barriers. Disabled persons often get their chance for employment as last, probably due to certain prejudice but also due to a huge number of unemployed persons in Croatia. The Croatian Employment Institute as a public institution owned by the Republic of Croatia but established by the Law on Mediation in Employment and Entitlements during Unemployment, attempts in its work to create conditions for involving disabled persons into a labour milieu through processes of professional rehabilitation and taking measures for that group of persons. There are 510 274 disabled persons in Croatia registered by 30 January, 2014 according to the data of the Croatian Health Institute, and the majority is in a working ability condition i.e. aged between 19 and 64 (52.7%). There are 18 851 disabled persons in the Vukovar-Srijem county; it makes 10.5% of the whole population. Out of this number 11 126 persons are in a working ability condition The aim of this paper is to show the role of the Croatian Employment Institute in social integration of disabled persons while employing them by means of professional rehabilitation and measures of the programme titled ''Ukljuceni''. The data of the Croatian Employment Institute, branch office in Vukovar, have been elaborated in this paper.