How to Obtain the Status of a Sheltered Workshop? What Benefits Does It Bring for the Entrepreneur?

A Protected Work Establishment (Zakład Pracy Chronionej) is nothing more than a special type of enterprise that provides special employment conditions for people with disabilities. The purpose of such establishments is to support the professional activation of people with disabilities by adapting working conditions to their needs and giving them greater opportunities in the labor market. What are the formal requirements and what benefits does such a status bring to the employer?

Formal Requirements and Benefits

The status of a Protected Work Establishment can be obtained by an employer who has conducted business activity for at least 12 months, employs no fewer than 25 employees full-time equivalent, and for at least 6 months meets the employment quotas for people with disabilities specified in the regulations. To obtain this status, the employment rate of people with disabilities must be at least 50%, of which at least 20% of all employees must be persons with a severe or moderate degree of disability. Alternatively, at least 30% of employees may be blind persons, mentally ill, or intellectually disabled, classified as having a severe or moderate degree of disability. Furthermore, the establishment’s buildings and premises must comply with occupational health and safety regulations and be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities in terms of workstations, sanitary facilities, and communication routes. The establishment must also provide emergency and specialist medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation services. The status of a Protected Work Establishment is granted by the voivode in the form of an administrative decision after fulfilling the above conditions and submitting an appropriate application.

The application for status should include not only the name and address of the establishment and information about the business activity conducted, but also, among others, information on employment levels and employment rates indicating the types of disabilities of individual employees, information on the provision of specialist and emergency medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation services, an appropriate decision from the National Labour Inspectorate confirming that the facility meets the requirements for a Protected Work Establishment, certificates of assignment of NIP (tax identification number), REGON (statistical number), and entry in CEIDG (Central Register of Business Activity), as well as a certificate of entry in the National Court Register. The fee for this matter is 10 PLN.

Protected Work Establishments receive, among others, subsidies for wages of employed persons with disabilities, subsidies for certain loans related to the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, and reimbursements of certain expenses.

Summary

Obtaining the status of a Protected Work Establishment is a process that brings numerous benefits. Meeting specific formal requirements and providing appropriate working conditions for people with disabilities is the key to success. Thanks to this, the company can not only gain financial support but also contribute to improving the labor market situation for people with health limitations.

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