In 2022, some 1.12 million persons who were registered as having a severe disability or equivalent condition were employed at employers that had at least 20 members of staff. In comparison with the previous year, the number of registered employees with disabilities increased by 7,000 (+0.6%). Persons registered as having a severe disability work in all industries. They often work in the manufacturing industry or in the public sector.

Three out of four employers fulfil all or part of their employment obligation

In the 2022 reporting year, approximately 39 per cent (69,000) of the 179,000 employers with at least 20 members of staff complied fully with their obligation to employ persons registered as having a severe disability. Five years earlier, this “compliance rate”, as it is often called, was approximately 40 per cent, and has fallen slightly since then. In addition, 36 percent (64,000) of employers fulfilled their employment obligation to a partial extent. This means that these employers only filled some of their staff positions reserved by law for persons registered as having a severe disability. Roughly a quarter, or 46,000 employers, failed to fill any of their staff positions, and contrary to their obligation to do so did not employ any persons registered as having a severe disability.

New: compensatory levy has increased, may now total up to 720 euros

Employers who fail to fulfil their employment obligation or only partially fulfil it are required to pay a compensatory levy to the integration offices. This varies according to the size of the company and the number of employees. One of the goals of this levy is to provide financial compensation to employers who do fill their staff positions with persons registered as having a severe disability according to the legal obligation to do so and who may incur additional costs as a result. For the 2022 reporting year, the compensatory levy ranged from EUR 140 to EUR 360 per month. The Inclusive Labour Market Act introduced an increased compensatory levy on 1st January 2024 for companies that fail to fulfil their employment obligation. For these employers, the compensatory levy may be as much as EUR 720 per month, depending on the size of the company. The new levies will take effect in 2025. If companies hire employees who are registered as having a severe disability in 2024, the compensatory levy will be reduced accordingly.

Employers can contact their local federal employment agency if they have any questions regarding the employment of persons with disabilities. The Employer Service of the BA is available to companies as a competent contact, and provides information on the various support instruments. These range from training measures to wage subsidies for companies, all the way through to support in equipping workplaces for persons with disabilities with the corresponding technical equipment.

The responsible Employer Service is available locally through the federal employment agency and is available throughout Germany. The contact details are available (in German) on the website of the Employer Service.

The integration offices also provide advice, information and support regarding the employment to people with disabilities.

The labour market report on the situation for persons registered as having a severe disability is available in the BA Statistics Portal on the page The employment of persons registered as having a severe disability (available in German).