Frequently Asked questions
What can we do for the Employer?
EmployAbility is a free recruitment service providing a professional and practical approach to meeting your recruitment needs. Through extensive profiling and job matching we provide effective recruitment which promotes equality and inclusion across all employment sectors. Our ongoing and specialised support can reduce your training and recruitment costs. We strive at all times to find the right person for the right job and create good job matches. We want to assist you as an employer to create equal opportunities with positive outcomes for both parties. To achieve our goals we really need to give you a good service that meets your needs as an employer.
Why should I employ a person with disability?
People with a disability have the same employment rights as everyone else. At EmployAbility Galway we believe that employing people with disabilities makes good business sense. There are around 40 million consumers across the European Union with a disability. Promoting social inclusion and addressing the large scale unemployment experienced by people with disabilities is an important expression of responsibility (both corporate and community). Furthermore, research shows that providing equal opportunities for all candidates in recruitment gives the widest choice of applicants, helps to overcome skills shortages, improves job satisfaction and raises employee morale generally. In short, having a diverse workforce which includes people with a disability is good employment practice and makes great business sense!
How are candidates selected?
Our profiling process involves identifying each of our client’s attributes including their knowledge, experience and transferable skills. For any position an employer is seeking to fill we will identify a short list of the most suitable candidates from our pool of job seekers. The employer may then interview one or more job seekers from the shortlist. The selection process may also involve a job trial for the preferred candidate which may run for up to 7 weeks and for which we would provide an allowance for our client.
What support do I get from EmployAbility?
Each of our clients has a dedicated Employment Facilitator who is there to provide advice and guidance to the employer and to create the best opportunity for a smooth and successful integration of their new employee into the company. This may include disability awareness training or information on what reasonable accommodations a person may need in order to perform their role and contribute to the success of the company. Our ongoing support is tailored to meet the individual requirements of the employer; this provides the maximum assistance to each employment situation.
Our 18 month programme is designed to enable people to move towards working independently and although we provide aftercare many people will need only the typical supports found in their place of work.
What financial incentives are available to employers?
Our service is free and can significantly reduce the cost of selection and recruitment in these challenging times. In addition, many employers are eligible for the Wage Subsidy Scheme as well as many other grants and financial supports which can be accessed through the reasonable accommodation fund. We provide assistance in the administration of these financial incentives on behalf of an employer.
Will my insurance cost increase?
NO – as long as the person is trained for the tasks they need to do and are capable of understanding the task. The Irish Insurance Federation confirmed that an employer’s liability insurance does not increase when the employer takes on an employee with a disability. They have confirmed that an employer’s insurance quote is updated every 12 months, and is based on the number of staff an employer has. It is not related to whether or not their new staff member has a disability. Insurance companies have advised that the employer is required to cover all the appropriate training under Health & Safety for all staff.
What about health and safety risks?
Employability Galway will carry out a full job analysis of the workplace. We will look at the health and safety risks associated to the job. This will help us to match the candidate to the job and to raise employees awareness of health and safety issues related to that job. A safe and healthy workplace is a requirement for all employees and customers. Many organisations have found that any minor adaptations that have been made for staff with disabilities, benefits all staff and customers.
Does the person have to be paid the minimum wage?
Yes, except in the following circumstances. The National Minimum Wage Act provides the following sub-minimum rates since January 2022:
An employee who is under 18 is entitled to €7.35 per hour (this is 70% of the minimum wage)
An employee who is aged 18 is entitled to €8.40 per hour (80% of minimum wage)
An employee who is aged 19 is entitled to €9.45 per hour (90% of the minimum wage)
Aged 20 and over the National Minimum Wage is now €10.50
What about terms and conditions?
As with all staff members, the same terms and conditions apply to an employee receiving support from EmployAbility.
What happens if it's not working out?
Just like any other staff member, if it's not working out you try and sort out the difficulties. Through EmployAbility you have the assistance of a Facilitator to support you as well as the new employee. Solutions can usually be found, but if it's not possible, the employment may come to an end as it would with any employee in accordance with your terms and conditions of employment. However this is a rare occurrence as having the support of the Employability service means that troubleshooting is always the best way forward.
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