Labor Inclusion Research Articles

Inequality in labour market opportunities for people with disabilities: Evidence for six Latin American countries

In Latin America, approximately 70 million individuals live with a disability. Although global evidence suggests that people with disabilities are one of the poorest groups and present lower employment rates, the evidence for Latin America is still weak. This article aims to contribute to the literature by estimating and analysing the levels of employment opportunity for persons with disabilities in six countries in Latin America (Chile, Bolivia, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica). Using household survey data, we measure inequality of opportunities using the Paes de Barros approach and compare the probability distributions of being employed for people with disabilities according to different individual characteristics. This research makes several contributions to the literature. First, it analyses and compares the characteristics of persons with disabilities in six countries of the region. Second, it is the first paper in the region that computes and compares the levels of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, using the Human Opportunity Index. Third, it analyses which are the main aspects contributing to the levels of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in each of the countries. The main results of the study reveal that people with disabilities face high levels of inequality of employment opportunity compared with people without disabilities in the six countries. Peru shows the lowest disadvantage, with higher coverage of opportunities for people with disabilities. Colombia and Costa Rica were the countries where this group presents the largest disadvantages to be employed. In addition, women with disabilities and people with disabilities living in rural areas have a lower probability of being employed compared with people without disabilities. These findings reveal that policies in the region aiming to include this group in the labour market have not been effective, and there is a necessity to guarantee the proper labour inclusion of this group.

Chatbot, as an Educational and Interactive System for the Labour and Social Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities. A Case of Use

Chatbot, as an Educational and Interactive System for the Labour and Social Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities. A Case of Use

Inequalities in Early Childhood Education and Care in Argentina and the United Kingdom (2010-2020)

Although there is a global agenda which tends to promote early childhood education and investment in early childhood, regulations and institutions are disparate between countries, and that does not seem to be tied to social welfare levels, exclusively. After studying existing evidence on educational inequalities in Argentina and the United Kingdom, in this article we present a comparative analysis of the education system’s key components, i.e., legislation, public investment, coverage levels, professionalization, and characteristics of programs aimed at children, in relation with the per capita household income. The main findings are that schooling rates are higher in the UK than in Argentina, and social inequalities are somewhat lower. However, in both cases children who are not enrolled are concentrated in the most vulnerable households. In the UK, there is a more homogeneous and professionalized system, with official assessment and supervision, international quality standards, and notable progress in literacy, but the eligibility criteria for childcare funding does not prioritize the right of the child. Instead, it is based on parents’ labor inclusion. On the other hand, Argentina is characterized by regulatory advances and free education. However, there is insufficient supply, and informal systems are widespread among vulnerable populations, which lack guidance and supervision, and virtually provide welfare aid rather than educational services.

Формування інституційного забезпечення гендерної рівності в оплаті праці в Україні

Further socialization of the labor market of Ukraine requires the intensification of social and labor inclusion, which reflects the process of increasing the participation of women in socially useful activities by creating conditions for the realization of their labor potential, including by ensuring equal pay for work of equal value, which determined the purpose of this publication: the formation of proposals for institutional support for equal pay for work in Ukraine based on the analysis of the gender pay gap and taking into account the progressive foreign experience of institutional support for gender equality in wages. The methodological basis are the fundamental provisions of modern economic theory in the context of finding a model for ensuring gender equality in the labor market, the institutional provision of equal pay for work of equal value; scientific achievements of foreign and domestic scientists in the direction of effective use of women’s labor potential, ensuring decent work for all. To achieve this goal, the following general and specific methods are used: the method of theoretical generalization, logical analysis in the process of studying the gender gap; systemic method to determine the approach to ensuring gender equality in remuneration with the improvement of gender policy in Ukraine; comparative analysis, synthesis and generalization, in terms of research of methodological approaches to labor evaluation from the standpoint of gender equality; methods of statistical analysis to assess the gender gap, including in wages. As a result, the institutional provision of gender equality in remuneration in Ukraine, which meets the norms of the ILO Convention No. 100 “On Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value,” is further developed, with an analysis of methodological approaches to discrimination in remuneration and justification for regulatory improvement of provision of gender equality in remuneration. The study identifies Ukraine’s weak position, which increases the number of years to bridge the gender gap, which creates a number of negative consequences for Ukraine’s economy, including loss of GDP, reduced levels of savings and purchasing power. Implementation of the principles of the ILO Convention No. 100 “On Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value” in Ukraine leads to the improvement of legal framework and the formation of a comprehensive system of social institutions to reduce the gender pay gap. Based on the study of foreign experience, approaches and methods of labor evaluation from the standpoint of gender equality that can be applied in Ukraine are presented. Recommendations are given for the formation of institutional support for gender equality in pay in Ukraine, which include the detection of discrimination in pay based on the introduction of forms of reporting, inspections, appeals of employees; determination of methodology and methods of assessment of equal pay for work of equal value; creation of special authorities, institutes that will deal with this issue, or expansion of the functions of existing ones; determination of the system of sanctions for employers who violate the legislation of Ukraine in terms of equal pay; coordination of regulatory and legal support regarding the definition of the categorical apparatus and the mechanism of observance of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value; conducting an information campaign on the protection of the rights to equal pay for work of equal value, etc.

Factorial confirmatory analysis to measure the perception of labor inclusion of people with disabilities

Introduction: The objective of this scientific approach was to validate through confirmatory factor analysis a measurement model to determine the perceived importance of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labor market, in employees who work or interact during the course of their duties with disabled employees. Method: The study had a quantitative approach with a non-experimental design, was carried out in 4 organizations: a Higher Education Institution, two private sector agencies and a public administration institution, in the Southeast of Mexico; where a total of 120 employees who work or interact during the course of their duties with partners with disabilities participated, the participants were also sought to belong to different departments of those organizations. An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to determine the psychometric properties of the instrument. Results: The proposed model ratified by means of confirmatory factor analysis the values of the main fit indicators (X 2 =40.15, p=.216; CMIN/DF= 1.18; CFI=.97; GFI= .91, IFI=.97; RMSEA=.04; CI 90 [.00-.09]). Discussion or conclusion: The results confirm the empirical sustainability of the proposed model to measure the perception on the occupational inclusion of people with disabilities" (POIPD) in organizations with at least one partner with disabilities, the data presented show evidence of a sustainable factor model.

Special Employment Centres, Time Factor and Sustainable Human Resources Management in Spanish Hotel Industry: Can Corporate Social Marketing Improve the Labour Situation of People with Disabilities?

Background: Low-quality jobs, long working hours and difficult scheduling of hours have been usually reported in the hotel industry. The situation is more difficult for people with disabilities (PWD), even more in the COVID-19 crisis, especially in terms of labour inclusion (due to the labour discrimination usually suffered by this collective). Thus, Special Employment Centres (SEC) have been created in Spain to spread protected employment of PWD. Although they are improving the situation in the short term, the long-term impact developing sustainable employment is not clear. The objective of this paper is to analyze the Spanish situation, the possible differences between sheltered employment and the ordinary labour market, how SEC could be improving (or not) their labour situation in the hotel sector in the long term, and the potential of incorporating Corporate Social Marketing to overcome the problem. Methods: A content bibliographic analysis has been carried out according to the latest research about this topic, using a ProKnow-C methodology. Results: There seems to be two different groups of papers (supply and demand sides), being the supply side one (focused on HR practices about PWD inclusion and managers’ perceptions of workers with disabilities) more related to our research objective. Furthermore, few articles were found about SEC and Corporate Social Marketing in relation to this topic, highlighting the originality of this research approach. Conclusions: According to our bibliographic portfolio, the presence of labour discrimination in the regular market is more evident; and, in the long term, two opposite situations could be happening simultaneously: (a) SEC would be reinforcing the social stigma, hindering the labour situation of PWD; (b) SEC could be changing the social perspectives of clients and all society in a positive manner. Therefore, it would be necessary to go in-depth into the present subject, from an academic but also practical perspective, incorporating an innovative Corporate Social Marketing approach in order to shed new light on this issue and improving effective sustainable employment of PWD.

Aphasia and labour inclusion: therapy, biopower, and encuentros

ABSTRACT Background: This is a qualitative case study of Sara, a 32-year-old black woman with nonfluent aphasia. Aims: Based on critical disability theory and poststructuralist approaches, we analyse the relationship between speech-language therapy and labour inclusion as founded in normalcy expectations. Methods and Procedures: The data were collected mainly at home and during therapy. The participants included Sara, her mother, her father, a speech-language pathologist, and a possible employer. Main Contributions: Sara’s interactions are structured in spatial repertoires that assemble diverse elements into communication and not only linguistic structures. However, these assemblages do not represent accepted adult ways of communication, and therapy is focused on repairing broken linguistic skills for normalization as a requirement for labour inclusion. Sara’s therapy is a biopower practice that limits her possibilities for labour inclusion and life projects. Conclusions: We reconceptualize the therapy as encuentros for collective dialogue and imagined communities’ emergence. This reconceptualization is a must for changing the field and participation patterns of people with aphasia in the society.

Disability, Human Resources and Behavioral Economics: The Labour Inclusion Case of Ilunion Hotels of the Costa del Sol (Spain).

The situation of labour inclusion of people with disabilities in Spain is still too negative, in spite of the different efforts carried out by public and private sector. Previous research points to social discrimination as one of the main causes of the situation. Ilunion Hotels is one of the most important hotel companies in Spain focused on labour inclusion of people with disabilities. The objective of this paper is to explore the social inclusion case of Ilunion Hotels of the Costa del Sol, the actions that they have developed to improve the labour integration of this collective, based on a behavioral economics theoretical model (with a high relevance of the influence of social stigma, stress theories and coping to stress responses). We look into the specific situation of two of the three hotels developed as Special Employment Centres (sheltered employment contexts defined by Spanish legislation) and the possible impact of their Support Units for Professional Activity. Case study methodology is considered the most appropriate, according to the research objective, supported by semi-structured interviews with the hotel managers. The results show that, although Special Employment Centres are effective in improving labour integration in the short term and could contribute to change the long-term social perspectives about workers with disabilities, they could be also reinforcing the social stigma existing in the ordinary market.

СУТНІСТЬ ПОНЯТТЯ «ІНВАЛІДНІСТЬ» В ПЕРСПЕКТИВІ СОЦІАЛЬНО-ТРУДОВОЇ ІНКЛЮЗІЇ

Problem statement. In the conditions of financial and economic crisis, military conflicts, state budget deficit, the problem of social protection of persons with disabilities is exacerbated. Modern social policy is focused on ensuring equal rights and opportunities in the realization of the potential capacity and individual resources of each society member. The relevance of this topic is due to the consistently high number of people with disabilities and the lack of a holistic approach to solving problems related to disability, which in turn necessitated the analysis of theoretical approaches to determining the essential characteristics number of concepts. The purpose of the study – to summarize the theoretical approaches and provisions on the essence of the "disability" concept in the perspective of social and labor inclusion. The subject of the research is the theoretical aspects and the current development state of the "disability" concept in the perspective of social and labor inclusion. Research methods: the methodological basis of the study was the scientific achievements of domestic and foreign scientists in revealing the content of concepts. Research hypothesis it is assumed that the basis of socio-labor inclusion should be a set of theoretical principles, historical background and current circumstances of the scientific "disability" concept under the influence of socio-cultural, historical and geographical factors, as well as knowledge about society and its dominant values. Presentation of the main material. As a result of the study of this issue the main approaches and alternative views of domestic and foreign authors on the definition of "disabled", "disability", "disability", "stigmatization" were considered, the concept of full integration of disabled people into society and the main bar era related to disability. Originality and practical significance of the research. The research presents scientific approaches to defining the concept of "disability" taking into account their promotion in society. Conclusions and prospects for further research. It is necessary to take decisive joint action of all self-government bodies, social protection institutions together with health care institutions, non-governmental organizations and employers, which will prevent disability and professionally inclusive people in our country. An effective system should include comprehensive rehabilitation initiated at the earliest stage of the disease to maximize its effectiveness.

Optimization of supply chain networks with inclusion of labor: Applications to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions

In this paper, we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by constructing supply chain network optimization models, which explicitly include labor as an important variable in the network economic activity links, along with associated capacities. Labor is a critical resource in supply chains from production to transportation, storage, and distribution. In a pandemic, the availability of labor for different supply chain network activities may be disrupted due to illness, fear of contagion, morbidity, necessity of social/physical distancing, etc. The modeling framework considers first elastic demands for a product and then fixed demands, coupled with distinct types of labor capacities in order to capture the availability of this valuable resource in a pandemic, as well as possible flexibility. The supply chain network framework, which includes electronic commerce, is relevant to many different supply chain applications including protective personal and medical equipment, as well as to particular food items. Theoretical results as well as computed numerical examples are presented.

Inclusión social de mujeres rurales a través de programas de alfabetización digital para el empleo

Introducción. Este artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio sobre la inclusión social de mujeres del ámbito rural a través de la adquisición de la competencia digital básica. Su objetivo fundamental es conocer el nivel de habilidad adquirido en las diferentes competencias asociadas al nivel básico según dicho modelo, analizar en qué medida estos aprendizajes han mejorado su nivel de competencia digital, considerando también si existen diferencias a nivel sociodemográfico según variables de edad, nivel académico, situación familiar y laboral. Método. Para ello, se ha aplicado un cuestionario sobre competencia digital básica e inclusión sociolaboral a 240 mujeres de entornos rurales participantes en programas de alfabetización digital para el empleo, con edades comprendidas entre 18 y 65 años. Resultados. Los resultados muestran un nivel de competencia digital adquirida que permite el uso intermedio de manejo de algunas herramientas de procesamiento de texto y el uso de portales de internet y redes sociales como Facebook, encontrando diferencias significativas en las mujeres en función de su edad y situación familiar y laboral. En el caso de recursos de un nivel más avanzado relacionados con la inclusión sociolaboral como las aplicaciones LinkedIn y herramientas en la nube, existe un mayor desconocimiento y una mayor dificultad en su manejo y aplicación práctica. En este sentido, se encuentran similitudes con otras investigaciones realizadas con mujeres del ámbito rural, en cuanto a la brecha digital de género existente y su relación con las dificultades en la inserción de estas personas en el mercado laboral. Discusión. La discusión de resultados presenta algunas implicaciones para la formación de una ciudadanía digital según el modelo DigComp2.1 y la necesidad de programas formativos en esta materia, específicamente orientados a mujeres del ámbito rural.

Women’s Pathways to Digital Inclusion Through Digital Labour in Rural Farming Households

ABSTRACT This study investigates how the digital divide in rural, agricultural Australia impacts women in significant and unexpected ways. Drawing on Marxist feminist perspectives on labour I ask, how do rural farming women access, use and manage digital connections and devices, and what role does gender play in the production of this ‘digital labour’? Based on interviews conducted in Far North Queensland, I provide an account of digital labour in rural farming households showing that women often have more interaction with digital technologies than their male counterparts because they are responsible for domestic activities that are increasingly being conducted online. Women’s consequent greater digital expertise enables them to forge pathways to digital inclusion and self-determination. Further analysis using Ursula Huws' ([2019]. Labour in Contemporary Capitalism: What Next? London: Palgrave Macmillan UK.) typology of labour confirms binary gender-based distribution of digital labour, but problematises how value is assigned to this work, in rural farming households. The research contributes to emergent understandings of digital labour and digital inclusion scholarship in rural contexts.

Development of Virtual Migration in the Context of the Ongoing Digitalization

The global trends of the constant increase in the digital component indicate that the economy is increasingly tilting into the “virtual plane”. Digital technologies are fundamentally changing almost all existing professional areas. Digitalization is not only fundamentally transforming labor relations, but also requires and facilitates the development of new forms of migration. A “transnational virtual space” is emerging, in which vast amounts of data across national borders without the physical movement of workers. With an aging population, virtual migration is becoming one of the most important conditions for the dynamic development of the digital economy. The purpose of this report is to investigate the algorithmic organization of work, combined with flexible labor relations and contributing to the inclusion of mobile labor in a stratified global labor market focused on the penetration of digital technologies into all sectors and spheres of life. The method used by the author is the analysis of the main trends in the development of virtual migration. The novelty of the study lies in examining the impact of digitalization not only on labor relations, but also, in terms of the development of new forms of mobility.

¿Trabajar o no trabajar? Esa es la cuestión. Un cuestionamiento sobre las dificultades en la inserción laboral de algunas personas con discapacidad en Santiago del Estero, Argentina

In this article, the problem concerning disability and the labor dimension will be analyzed, starting from the premise of shortcomings in terms of labor inclusion. For this, the current legislation and the theory regarding this problem as old as current will be taken into account. Unfortunately, the laws and public policies deployed by the State do not seem to reach if it is this same State that does not comply with its own regulations. The State puts people with disabilities at such a crossroads that it not only seems to violate their rights but also the very importance of the personal, professional and work development of people with disabilities. This recognition is essential to understand that people with disabilities have the right to marry, to own property, to work and not for this reason to stop being disabled, and they can fend for themselves to the best of their ability.

Educational and labor inclusion of the elderly in the UAEM

Objective. Analyze the process of educational and labor inclusion of the elderly in higher education of the UAEM. Methodology. An analysis of the process of educational and labor inclusion in the older adult population who are workers and students of the UAEM was carried out. The needs they present, the conditions in which they are found, and the supports provided were identified. This analysis was carried out from a cognitive, neurobiological perspective with or without the presence of disability or chronicdegenerative disease; as well as the search for socioaffective indicators or other psychosocial factors that may impact this inclusion process. Contribution. The results obtained will allow establishing strategies to improve the process of educational and labor inclusion in this population considered as vulnerable.

Inserción laboral y diversidad funcional: un estudio compostelano con perspectiva de género

El empleo se considera un eje central de la inclusión y su ausencia conlleva una serie de carencias sociales, educativas, de participación e igualdad, que desembocan en una vulnerabilidad social. En el caso de las mujeres, su ausencia multiplica la incidencia de otras variables que dificultan su plena inclusión social. 
 La Agenda 2030 (ONU, 2015), establece 17 Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) que, de forma transversal, incluyen en su objetivo cinco la perspectiva de género. En pleno transcurso a favor del desarrollo sostenible, nos planteamos estudiar el cómo se están llevando a cabo acciones locales en la ciudad de Santiago de Compostela, que contemplen la inclusión laboral de mujeres con diversidad funcional. 
 Para ello, seguimos un enfoque metodológico de doble vertiente: se realiza un análisis profundo de normativa, programas y recursos web de instituciones destacadas del ámbito compostelano; y se encuesta a informantes clave para conocer los aspectos que favorecen la inserción laboral de este colectivo. Las entidades participantes son Down Compostela, FADEMGA Plena Inclusión Galicia, COGAMI y ACADAR

Labor inclusion, dissemination and training tools

Disability is constituted as a phenomenon that does not distinguish social class, socioeconomic situation, or gender and can manifest at any time in a person's life cycle; promote the dissemination of strategies that allow the inclusion of regulations to the business society, in the development of accessibility to healthy and safe places for people with disabilities, which in turn facilitate administrative management, is a commitment that must be strengthened, therefore , the "Program for the prevention of accidents at work in people with physical disabilities, from the regulations on safety and health at work", has sought that, through the preparation of a technical, operational, didactic document, the levels of training for managers, middle managers, workers, and professionals in the area of safety and health at work. Said document has been prepared with the technical and regulatory guidelines, both nationally and internationally, through a documentary compilation process, where the training, awareness, communication and labor inclusion strategies developed to date have been parameterized. in different fields; to later be disseminated through action-participation workshops in different contexts and with the support of virtual elements. Labor inclusion, dissemination and training tools

Development of Vocational Maturity in University Students with Disabilities to Access, Obtain an Internship and Complete University Studies

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of university students with disabilities in Spain, as in other countries. Access to and completion of studies in higher education has been identified as a factor that improves the educational and labor inclusion of these people. However, this group of students faces difficulties in completing their studies, as they encounter problems in carrying out their internships, which is an obligatory element of many degrees. Our quantitative research study presents the results of the Generating Professional Skills (GPS) program for the development of vocational maturity based on training itineraries, carried out by the University Unit of Attention to People with Disability. The main results show an increase in vocational maturity and position tutoring as a fundamental part of the educational inclusion process, as well as a key role of the support services for those with disabilities to experience a more inclusive and quality education, thus aligning with objective 4 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. SDG. The information collected allows us to conclude that these programs increase the vocational maturity and the knowledge and competencies of students with disabilities and, therefore, are key elements for the success in accessing and obtaining internships and for the successful completion of their studies.

Labor Market Discrimination against African Immigrants’: Between Employment Vulnerability and Social Exclusion

This article explores labor market discrimination against African immigrants’ who are settled in Norway. For this, it considers to what extent the career prospects of the migrants’ are limited in the Norwegian labor market. In addition, it examines how the employment position of the migrants’ affect their socioeconomic status. The article, further, analyze and discuss the factors that mitigate or reinforce inequality in the sector. Using a qualitative interview of 20 respondents with backgrounds from seven African countries, the article uncovers that, the immigrants’ seem to suffer from significant discrimination in employment. To this end, labor market discrimination warrants critical analysis aimed at transformation by confronting conditions of unequal power relations in the employment fields. The article recognizes that equal opportunities and a more dynamic labor market is an indispensable element of labor inclusion and integration in mainstream society. Against the background of increasing ethnic diversity, a greater emphasis on equal access to the labor market will have positive ramifications on belongingness, social cohesion, participation and collective well-being. In contrast, inequalities in employment often coincide with destabilizing circuits of social marginalization, vulnerability, poverty, and financial stigma. Accordingly, this article allows stakeholders to recognize the increasingly changing realities in the employment fields, adopt proactive measures, appropriate new world of work and the enhancement of human capital.

Calidad democrática en Argentina. Un análisis sobre cómo la rendición de cuentas horizontal impacta en la vida de las personas con discapacidad

Argentina tiene políticas públicas nacionales para el colectivo con discapacidad. En particular, analizamos el diseño e implementación de las políticas para garantizar la accesibilidad física en el transporte y la inclusión laboral en el ámbito público, a través del cupo laboral del 4% para trabajadoras y trabajadores con discapacidad. Sin embargo, la mera implementación de estas políticas no ha resultado suficiente para alcanzar las soluciones esperadas. Para lograr una transformación real se necesita el compromiso de los gobiernos, la disponibilidad de recursos que asigna el Parlamento y, también, el funcionamiento de los organismos de control, que tienen a cargo la misión de asegurar que las políticas se implementen correctamente y los derechos se respeten. En otras palabras, desde la perspectiva de la rendición de cuentas horizontal de Guillermo O’Donnell, indagamos sobre la relación entre las dificultades de la implementación de las políticas públicas con la tarea de contralor de organismos del Poder Ejecutivo, el control parlamentario del Legislativo y el control del cumplimiento de las normas que dispone la Justicia.