The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is holding a general discussion on the Convention’s Article 27, which addresses the right of persons with disabilities to work and employment. The aim of the discussion is to prepare a General Comment, a document which give states guidance on interpretation and how they should meet their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of persons with disabilities with regard to Article 27.
ONIWG’s submission requests that:
- the new General Comment advise all governments to ensure that employment injury compensation systems adopt follow-up reporting on the employment outcomes of work injury compensation claimants with long-term work-acquired disabilities;
- requests all governments ensure humane and dignified treatment of people with work-acquired disabilities in the employment injury benefit system;
- asks all governments to ensure protection against discrimination for people with work-acquired disabilities in the employment injury benefit system. Disabled workers should not be discriminated against for filing a claim for income security and should not have to fear termination of employment or the pressure to end their medical treatment from employers who are concerned about maintaining a low experience rating;
- requests that the new General Comment state that income security for people with work-acquired disabilities is a fundamental human right, and that income security must be sufficient so that people are able to live a dignified human life.
This submission builds on ONIWG’s 2019 submission to the CRPD (Deeming Laws and Practices as Violations of the Rights of People with Work-acquired Disabilities in Canada).
Read ONIWG’s full submission on Article 27 here: [doc version | pdf version]