Employment and professional rehabilitation with the support of the Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities 

In the Federation of BiH, employment and professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities is enabled through the provisions of the Law on Professional Rehabilitation, Training and Employment of Persons with Disabilities ("Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina" No. 9/10).

The Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities is a public institution that provides support in employment and professional rehabilitation to persons with disabilities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as follows:

The Fund issues public calls twice a year, which are available on the Fund's website. www.fond.ba and in two daily newspapers.

 1. Public call for the award of financial incentives for new employment of persons with disabilities (all employers who wish to employ a person with disabilities can apply)

 2. Public call for programs for the development of business companies for the employment of persons with disabilities and sheltered workshops, sustainability of employment of persons with disabilities and professional rehabilitation.

 How can financial stimulus funds be used by a person with disabilities for employment and self-employment?

1. EMPLOYMENT – A person with a disability needs to find an employer who wants to employ them. All employers who want to employ a person with a disability of 60% and above can apply for financial incentives from the Fund. For employment, depending on the percentage of disability of the person being employed, as well as the period of employment (fixed/indefinite), the employer can receive a financial incentive in the amount of 7,000.00 to 15,750.00 KM.

 Persons with disabilities should share the above information with employers to make it easier for them to find an employer who will hire them.

2. SELF-EMPLOYMENT - A person with a disability can independently apply for monetary stimulus funds, by starting an independent activity as the only and main occupation.

The financial incentive that a person can receive for self-employment amounts from 10,500.00 KM to 15,750.00 KM, depending on the percentage of disability.

 - In addition to the financial incentive, people with disabilities as self-employed workers have constant support from the Fund through:

 - refund of taxes and contributions, which means that if craftsmen regularly and in accordance with the Law submit a valid request to the Fund for refund of taxes and contributions, they do not have costs related to taxes and contributions, which facilitates their business.

 – Once a year, independent craftsmen have the right to apply for LOT IV funds. They can receive funds worth up to 5,000.00 KM for the purchase or repair of necessary work tools, special aids and equipment, production materials or for the adaptation of premises. These funds help to sustain the employment of a person with a disability who is self-employed.

How can a person with a disability use the funds of the Fund for professional rehabilitation for the purpose of professional development?

The Fund finances/co-finances programs through which additional training, retraining and job training of persons with disabilities can be carried out with the aim of professional development and, ultimately, employment. The following three programs enable persons with disabilities to receive additional professional development:

1. Programs for the professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in companies for the employment of persons with disabilities, sheltered workshops and other legal entities according to the Law. This program provides practical work training and ensures the employment of a minimum of 50 % persons who go through the program.

 2. Vocational rehabilitation programs for persons with disabilities in vocational rehabilitation institutions, secondary schools and other educational institutions. This program enables retraining or additional training of a large number of persons with disabilities, organized by a secondary school or other educational institution.

 3. Professional rehabilitation programs for which persons with disabilities apply to the Fund as program/project holders. This program enables persons with disabilities to further improve their professional skills through retraining or additional training through part-time secondary education or higher vocational education in appropriate educational institutions.

How can people with disabilities successfully do business with the support of the Fund?

People with disabilities can register a company for the employment of people with disabilities or a sheltered workshop and jointly implement a business idea.

Companies employing people with disabilities have constant support through tax and contribution refunds for people with disabilities, if they regularly and in accordance with the Law submit a valid request to the Tax and Contribution Refund Fund.

In addition to the above, sheltered workshops have the right to tax and contribution refunds for all employees and the right to a net salary subsidy for employed persons with disabilities in the amount of 301% of the average net salary in the Federation.

Additional support from the Fund for Companies for the employment of persons with disabilities and sheltered workshops and their successful operations is provided through the following programs:

 - the sustainability of the employment of persons with disabilities,

 – development of companies for the employment of people with disabilities and sheltered workshops,

 - professional rehabilitation and vocational training of persons with disabilities.

We invite all unemployed people with disabilities to contact their home associations and, together with the responsible persons in the association, find the best way for their work engagement.

For more information:

 – visit us at: Vilsonovo šetalište 10, 71000 Sarajevo

 - contact us by e-mail:  info@fond.ba, or phone: +387 33 717 740; FAX: +387 33 717 821

Please visit the website of the Fund www.fond.ba, in the LEGISLATION section you will find all the necessary documents (Law, regulations) that provide more detailed information on the above rights, as well as the conditions that must be met in order to exercise them.