Italy Expands Disabled Hiring Rules to Small Businesses Under Law 68/99

Italian companies are hiring more disabled individuals. Even small businesses now employ those registered as disabled in employment lists. Previously, only companies with more than 35 employees did so; now, all companies with more than 15 employees are included, according to the recent Law 68/99.

The Role of Provinces and Updating of Lists

This law also assigns a series of responsibilities to the Provinces, which will establish technical committees composed of educators and social workers, tasked with updating the lists that companies—specifically those with more than 15 employees—can refer to when hiring disabled individuals.

The new law, which came into effect on March 23, 1999, was positively received by industry associations, which called it “a significant innovative advancement.”

Sanctions and Implementation Timeline

For businesses, sanctions are linked to the number of days that pass from the deadline set by Law 68/99 until its effective implementation.