Employing people with disabilities: The Romanian protected units system

Abstract

The protected units are an answer to the employment increase goal for people with disabilities in Romania. With a history of two decades, the protected units system became visible in the context of the social economy. The present paper is based on qualitative research and focuses on how the social actors in this employment opportunity address its benefits. There are small companies, NGOs, people with disabilities and representative authorities named here. Even though the system does not always function according to expectations, it has reduced the distance between economic and social sectors and created the context for rising awareness on the theme of disabilities, and overall is a more efficient and transparent way to support this vulnerable group.