Italy approves revised law to boost employment of people with mental disabilities

The Italian ministries of Labour and Public Administration have given the green light to a revised decree drafted by the Five Star Movement (M5S) and approved by the Regional Authority for Labour (Ars) in May. The amendment rewrites article 1 of the draft law previously passed by the regional council of Sala d’Ercole, confirming a 15 % reservation for workers with mental disabilities and introducing new implementation tools.

Key provisions require regional administrations to sign conventions under law 68/1999 in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health, to create personalized employment programmes – possibly with tutors – and to transmit vacancy listings to targeted employment services within 60 days, with semi‑annual updates. Lists of eligible persons must be published on institutional websites and updated bimonthly. Employment centres are also obliged to compile and regularly revise the register of people with mental disabilities.

M5S regional group leader Antonio De Luca called the ministerial pronouncement “an important recognition of the solidity of the normative framework” and described the outcome as “a historic result”. He highlighted the collaboration of numerous associations, the parliamentary inter‑group led by Valentina Chinnici, and regional officials, noting that the law positions Sicily at the national forefront of welfare for the targeted placement of people with mental disabilities.