America And China Provide Incentives For Entrepreneurs Hiring With Disabilities, Apindo: Indonesia Should Follow!

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) Hariyadi Sukamdani asked the government to provide incentives for companies that have employed disabled workers. According to him, this has been done by the United States government.

In the United States, Hariyadi said, there is a work opportunity tax credit, namely a tax credit for hiring employees with certain qualifications, one of which is workers with disabilities. The US government also provides disabled access credit, which is credit for small businesses that pay a certain fee to provide access to disabilities.

Not only in America, said Hariyadi, in China and Malaysia, entrepreneurs who employ disabilities and remove obstacles to physical access and transportation for people with disabilities will also get architectural barrier removal tax deduction.

In Indonesia, according to Hariyadi, incentives for companies that employ employees with certain qualifications, including disabilities, have also been stipulated in Law Number 8 of 2016.

"Law number 8 of 2016 has actually regulated the incentives that should be provided by the government, both central and local governments, to companies that employ disabled workers," he said, during the 'Interactive Dialogue on Inclusive Employment with the Minister of Manpower', Wednesday 24 February.

Therefore, said Hariyadi, Apindo hopes that the government can take steps to realize this provision. In this case, maximize and expand the implementation of inclusive employment in the workplace and give appreciation for the involvement of the business world so far.

Moreover, the issue of disability is a big issue. In fact, said Hariyadi, WHO in the world report on disability in 2011 estimated that the number of disabilities was 15 percent of the total population, which made disability the largest minority group in the world.

"In the WHO global disability action plan 2014-2021, employment is also an important part. Therefore, many countries encourage their employers to implement this policy of equality of inclusiveness by providing incentives," he explained.

To support the implementation of the concept of equality and inclusiveness in the work environment, Hariyadi said that his party will start the idea of a special desk for inclusive manpower at the Apindo council office.

"The goal is to be able to provide information services related to inclusive employment from all companies that need this information," he said.