Commentary on Judgment No. 10744 of 2024: Refusal to Hire Disabled Workers and Burden of Proof

The recent ordinance No. 10744 of April 22, 2024, issued by the Court of Cassation, offers an important reflection on the topic of the mandatory hiring of disabled workers, establishing clear principles regarding the burden of proof on the employer. In particular, the ruling clarifies that the refusal to hire can only be justified if the employer demonstrates the absolute incompatibility between the worker's disability and all available tasks in the company.

The Regulatory Framework

Law No. 68 of 1999, particularly Article 5, establishes the obligation for companies to hire disabled workers. In the case of requests for placement, the employer must demonstrate, through documentary and concrete evidence, the non-existence of tasks compatible with the disabilities of the disabled worker. The Court, in its decision, reiterates the necessity of a comprehensive assessment of the available tasks and the skills of the worker.

The Refusal to Hire and the Burden of Proof

Request for placement of disabled workers - Refusal to hire the placed workers - Incompatibility between the available tasks and the disability of the placed worker - Burden of the employer to allege and prove the incompatibility - Basis - Specific case. In the case of a request for placement of disabled workers, the refusal to hire can only be justified in the face of absolute incompatibility between the disability of the placed worker and all available tasks in the company, which the employer has the burden to allege and prove due to the obligation to hire disabled workers and the typicality of the exemption cases under Article 5 of Law No. 68 of 1999. (In this case, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the employer company, as it had neither proven the non-existence of tasks incompatible with the disabilities of the placed workers nor submitted a request for exemption under Article 5, paragraph 3, Law No. 68 of 1999).

In this specific case, the Court rejected the company's appeal, highlighting that no evidence had been provided regarding the lack of compatible tasks. This raises an important reflection on the responsibility of employers in analyzing available positions and their suitability concerning disabled workers.

Practical Implications of the Ruling

  • Documentation obligation: Employers must be ready to document and justify their position, gathering concrete evidence of incompatibility.
  • Assessment of tasks: A careful assessment of tasks is essential to ensure that there are no hiring opportunities for disabled workers.
  • Compliance with regulations: Companies must be aware of the current regulations and their responsibilities regarding the hiring of disabled workers.
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