DuoDay, democratizing the employment of people with disabilities

DuoDay seeks to reconcile the world of employment with people with disabilities. Arriving in Lot-et-Garonne in 2015, it takes on a national dimension in 2017. This event is now part of the European Disability Employment Week. The concept of DuoDay is to form pairs between an employee in a company and a person with a disability. It is then a question of introducing the profession and participating in the usual tasks. Largely supported by a large number of associations, communities, business leaders, employees and the government as a whole, DuoDay 2020 was able to proceed smoothly despite the health crisis. A great success with the realization of nearly 10,000 duets, compared to the 179 of the 2017 edition. (1)

In November 2021, the 4th national edition broke a new participation record with 17,000 duets registered on the duoday.fr platform. This is therefore 32% compared to 2019. In addition, the event generated thousands of additional initiatives and duets organized throughout France and not referenced on the duoday.fr platform.

DuoDay, one step closer to inclusive employment

The job integration and retention of people with disabilities in the employment are among the government’s priority issues. For example, in 2018, Labour Minister Muriel Pénicaud made a commitment to create an additional 100,000 jobs for people with disabilities by 2022. Of which 40,000 are in suitable companies. (2)

And for good reason, despite the state’s desire to include people with disabilities in the labour market,the figures still speak for themselves. In France, for example, there are 2.7 million disabled people of working age (15-64 years). Yet only 938,000 are employed. As a result, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is particularly high. According to Agefiph, 57% of them have been unemployed for a year compared to 45% of the working population. In fact, the average duration of unemployment time is also longer. 801 days compared to 595 days of national average. (2)

DuoDay is also looking to bring out solutions that make it easier for people with disabilities to be employable. By creating the meeting, this event allows the company to become aware of the real situation of disabled workers, as well as to lift the brakes on employment.

Together with Elisabeth Borne, Minister of Labour, Employment and Insertion, we look forward to the creativity that employers have shown to adapt to the crisis by maintaining their commitment to this important day for the employment of people with disabilities.

Sophie Cluzel, Secretary of State to the Prime Minister for Persons with Disabilities

For example, this 3rd National Day of DuoDay brought together some 12,404 employers, 19,113 people with disabilities and 2,900 accompanying structures. (1)

Employment and disability, towards the end of conventional wisdom?

The European Week for the Employment of Disabled People and DuoDay has mobilized public and private employers. As a result, many organizations have made commitments to a more inclusive HR policy. Maintaining employment, inclusive recruitment, disability awareness… So many steps and actions to deconstruct judgments and give a more accurate view of the reality of disability at work.

Woman handicap chair company
The DuoDay allows the meeting between disabled worker and company.

“These meetings help to break down prejudices and misconceptions about employment and disability, it is essential to continue this dynamic to lift the brakes on employment.”

It should be remembered, however, that companies are required by law to hire at least 6% of employees with disabilities. However, this obligation has not been in force since 2005. For example, while about 80% of companies with more than 20 employees employ at least one person with a disability,only 30% of them fulfil their obligations under the law. (2)

The professional integration of people with disabilities, the mission of DuoDay but above all actors in the region

DuoDay is therefore the pretext to put the subject back on the table. On this occasion, new companies signed the Manifesto for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Economic Life. One can think of the Nestlé Groups and Naval Group (1). Others took the opportunity to formalize employment agreements for people with disabilities and caregivers. This is particularly the case for the private bank of La Banque Postale, whose subsidiary Real Estate Consulting plans to recruit one in two people with disabilities. In addition, these meetings also identify opportunities and sectors of activity conducive to the recruitment of people with disabilities. Especially in tense sectors such as digital.

To support professional integration, organizations and actors in the regions work every day in the field. Therefore, it is not necessary to wait for the big media events to take its share of social responsibility. Organizations devoted to the subject throughout the year include Cap Emploi 33 in Bordeaux (3) and Agefiph.

The same goes for professional events and events such as The Employment Handicap Meetings (4). Held every year in Bordeaux, the 2019 edition brought together 200 recruiters for 1,500 job offers around 6 conferences and 1 vocational training space.

DuoDay 2021, a new record for the event in favor of the inclusion of workers with disabilities

A real highlight of the European Week for the Employment of People with Disabilities, DuoDay has become a must-attend event with this year, more than 30,000 welcome offers submitted by employers on the platform!

Sophie Cluzel, Secretary of State to the Prime Minister, in charge of Persons with Disabilities

This year, the operation is meeting with a real enthusiasm from both employers and people with disabilities. The duoday.fr platform reports 9,110 registered employers; 30,252 offers of duets (compared to 18,481 in 2019); 30,165 people with disabilities registered (compared to 19,632 in 2019); 3,294 structures accompanying people involved. In the end, the event allowed to constitute 17,000 duets on the platform duoday.fr. And this, in addition to thousands of initiatives and duets throughout France, not referenced on the duoday.fr platform.

The managers definitively realized that this operation allowed them to raise awareness among their managers and all employees about the diversity of disability situations at work, but also to discover new talents! At the end of the day, some offered their duos prospects for internships or contracts.

According to the Opinion Way study conducted for DuoDay 2020, 10% of the duos trained ended up within 3 months in internship, apprenticeship and job offers. DuoDay is therefore also a great lever towards employment.

Aid for the employment of people with disabilities

DuoDay only takes place once a year so it is essential that efforts continue throughout the year to move towards more inclusive companies. Among the measures put in place, the government includes incentive aid in the France Relance plan. They help to promote the recruitment of people with disabilities, regardless of their age.

The Aide à la mobilisation des employeurs pour l’embauche des travailleurs handicapées (AMEETH) is awarded to private employers on the occasion of the hiring of an employee with the Recognition of the Quality of Disabled Worker (RQTH) under a contract of indefinite duration (CDI) or a fixed-term contract (CDD) of more than 3 months. This aid, which can amount to up to €4,000, applies to recruitments made up to 31 December 2021. 23,000 recruitments, 64% of which are on permanent contracts, have already taken place since the beginning of the year.

In addition, exceptional aid of up to €8,000 and without age limit for people with disabilities is granted to companies. It concerns the hiring of apprentices whose contracts are signed between July 2020 and June 2022.

Sources

  1. DuoDay Review, Press Kit 2020
  2. “People with Disabilities and Employment – Key Figures”, Agefiph, June 2018
  3. Cap employment 33 Gironde: Disability Resources
  4. Handicap Job Encounters 2019
  5. Balance sheet of DuoDay 2021, an unprecedented mobilization. Press release of November 26, 2021
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