Keywords
Discapacidad, discriminación, ajustes razonables, derecho comunitario., Disability, discrimination, reasonable accommodation, European law.
Los ajustes razonables como instrumento para la integración laboral de las personas con discapacidad: perspectivas de futuro en la UE
Abstract
La Directiva 2000/78, relativa al establecimiento de un marco general para la igualdad de trato en el empleo y la ocupación, introdujo la obligación de realizar ajustes necesarios en el puesto de trabajo de las personas discapacitadas, lo que contribuyó a garantizar su plena participación social y desarrollo profesional. Esta obligación es prueba de la paulatina predominancia del modelo social, en detrimento de su predecesor modelo médico en lo que se refiere a la forma de entender la discapacidad. Para el modelo social, la discapacidad es una situación relacional, resultado de la interacción entre las limitaciones previsiblemente permanente de índole física, mental, intelectual o sensorial del individuo, y los obstáculos que impiden su integración en la sociedad. La obligación de realizar ajustes razonables deriva del principio de igualdad de oportunidades y, por ende, la denegación injustificada por parte del empresario obligado supone la comisión de un acto discriminatorio. Sin embargo, solo existirá tal obligación cuando su realización no suponga una carga excesiva para el empresario. Debido a que la Directiva 2000/78 establece unos mínimos, serán los Estados miembros quienes concreten en la práctica el criterio de razonabilidad, lo que limita la efectividad de este derecho y debilita su homogénea aplicación. Además de ello, la obligación de realizar ajustes razonables en el puesto de trabajo se enfrenta a nuevas consideraciones relacionadas con su ámbito de aplicación y con la falta de regulación de un procedimiento más concreto. Nos preguntamos si será posible que su ámbito de aplicación abarque a otros supuestos, en la medida que la definición de discapacidad se hace más amplia; así como de hacerlo extensiva a otras causas de discriminación ajenas a la discapacidad. El objetivo de esta comunicación es plantear las posibles futuras cuestiones que suscitará la aplicación de los ajustes razonables para las personas con discapacidad en el centro de trabajo.
European Directive 2000/78, establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, introduced the obligation to reasonable accommodations in the workplace for disabled people, in order to ensure their full social and professional development. This obligation is an example of the predominance of the social model, in contrast to its predecessor, the medical model, in what refers how disability is understood. For the social model, disability is a relational situation, consisting on the interaction between the foreseeably permanent limitations of an individual's physical, mental, intellectual or sensory nature, and the social obstacles that prevent their integration into society. The obligation to make reasonable adjustments derives from the principle of equal opportunities and therefore, unjustified refusal by the obligated employer implies the commission of a discriminatory act. Nonetheless, this obligation will only exist when its performance does not entail a disproportionate burden on the employer. As Directive 2000/78 set the minimum content, the Member States will be who specify the reasonableness criterion in practice, which limits the effectiveness of this right and weakens its homogeneous application. In addition to these traditional application problems, the obligation to make reasonable accommodations in the workplace faces new considerations related to its scope of application and the lack of regulation of a more specific procedure. We wonder if it will be possible to extend its scope of application to other cases, as the definition of disability becomes more extensive; as well as other causes of discrimination unrelated to disability. The aim of this paper is to raise possible future issues in the application of reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities to ensure their access or advance in employment.
European Directive 2000/78, establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, introduced the obligation to reasonable accommodations in the workplace for disabled people, in order to ensure their full social and professional development. This obligation is an example of the predominance of the social model, in contrast to its predecessor, the medical model, in what refers how disability is understood. For the social model, disability is a relational situation, consisting on the interaction between the foreseeably permanent limitations of an individual's physical, mental, intellectual or sensory nature, and the social obstacles that prevent their integration into society. The obligation to make reasonable adjustments derives from the principle of equal opportunities and therefore, unjustified refusal by the obligated employer implies the commission of a discriminatory act. Nonetheless, this obligation will only exist when its performance does not entail a disproportionate burden on the employer. As Directive 2000/78 set the minimum content, the Member States will be who specify the reasonableness criterion in practice, which limits the effectiveness of this right and weakens its homogeneous application. In addition to these traditional application problems, the obligation to make reasonable accommodations in the workplace faces new considerations related to its scope of application and the lack of regulation of a more specific procedure. We wonder if it will be possible to extend its scope of application to other cases, as the definition of disability becomes more extensive; as well as other causes of discrimination unrelated to disability. The aim of this paper is to raise possible future issues in the application of reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities to ensure their access or advance in employment.
Información detallada
Materias, derechos, colecciones e identificadores