As of June 30, 2024, only 1.3% of the 1,459 employees at Elektromreža Srbije (EMS) were persons with disabilities, according to a State Audit Institution report on EMS’s compliance with employment obligations for people with disabilities.
The audit found that EMS did not establish an effective system to increase employment of persons with disabilities. Although EMS met legal employment quotas, it failed to implement a selection method that would maximize hiring of persons with disabilities. This is evidenced by a 5% decrease in the number of employees with disabilities during the audited period and a 15% drop in their share relative to total staff.
During the period from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, EMS employed only 19 persons with disabilities. The company also failed to properly update disability-related data in the Central Registry of Mandatory Social Insurance.
The audit covered 33 state-owned companies with 500+ employees. On average, only 2% of their workforce consists of persons with disabilities, and 18 companies reported a decline in such employment during the same period.
According to the latest census, Serbia has 356,404 persons with disabilities, including 101,098 of working age (20–65 years). Despite some progress and initiatives, significant inequalities and disadvantages persist for persons with disabilities compared to the general population, underscoring the need for a planned and systemic approach to addressing their employment challenges.
