EMPLOYMENT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN RUSSIA: STATUS, PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

The subject of the study is the employment of persons with disabilities from the point of view of assessing the potential for increasing their participation in the labor force in the Russian labor market. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the demographic, socio-economic, and institutional factors affecting the level of employment of persons with disabilities. The relevance of the study is due to the increase in the share of unemployed persons with disabilities in the economy, while the demand for workers in certain specialties is growing. The scientific novelty lies in assessing the current situation with the employment of persons with disabilities in Russia, identifying the main factors affecting their level of employment, and proposing measures to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in the labor market and eliminate discriminatory barriers. The research methods are factor analysis, generalization, grouping, comparison, and extrapolation. In the course of the study, the authors obtained the following results: an assessment of the current level of employment of people with disabilities is given, and it is revealed that there is a significant unrealized labor potential among this category, while the current measures to support the employment of persons with disabilities do not produce the desired result, employment rates are declining, and unemployment is growing. The factors hindering the development of employment of persons with disabilities are systematized: from institutional conditions to observed discriminatory phenomena and the lack of incentives that encourage employers to hire people of this category. Considering the findings, recommendations are given to increase the level of employment of persons with disabilities. The authors conclude that is it necessary to improve approaches and methods for regulating the employment of persons with disabilities. Some tools are proposed that should facilitate the employment of people with disabilities and increase the level of their integration into the social and labor environment.