Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 1 July, the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan approved new regulations governing the provision of employment subsidies for persons with disabilities.

According to the document, companies that hire persons with Group I and II disabilities, as well as employment agencies involved in their job placement, will be eligible to receive state subsidies. The initiative aims to promote inclusive employment and support the adaptation of workplaces to the individual needs of people with disabilities.

The National Agency for Social Protection will maintain a special electronic register containing information about job-seeking individuals with disabilities, including their health conditions and work experience. Employers will be granted free access to this database via an electronic platform.

Subsidies will be granted once per each individual with a Group I or II disability who is successfully employed. The amount of the subsidy is set at three times the minimum wage — currently 3.45 million soums, and will increase to 3.813 million soums as of 1 August. To qualify, the individual must be officially employed for at least three months, with a monthly salary no lower than two minimum wages — 2.3 million soums (rising to 2.542 million soums from August 1).

A single organization may receive up to 500 million soums in total in employment subsidies for hiring individuals with disabilities.

In addition, monthly payments are provided for workplace adaptation, with a maximum total of 50 million soums per enterprise. The subsidy amount depends on the specific needs involved:

To engage a psychologist when hiring at least 10 employees with Group I or II disabilities: 10 sizes of basic estmated value (BEV, 3.75 million soums, increasing to 4.12 million soums from 1 August);

To provide a sign language interpreter for a group of at least 5 employees with hearing or speech impairments: 8 BEV (3 million soums, rising to 3.296 million soums);

To pay for a personal assistant for an employee with a Group I visual disability or who uses a wheelchair: 5 BEV (1.875 million soums, increasing to 2.06 million soums).

To apply for subsidies, entrepreneurs must submit an application via the Unified Social Protection System or the Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services, providing all required information. Applications are processed within two working days.