From wage subordination to neoliberal charity: critical analysis of the labor inclusion law for people with disabilities in Chile

Abstract

This article analyzes the entry into force of Law No. 21.015 which enables people in situations of disability to take part in the labor market . The purpose of this regulation is to improve the employability of people in situations of disabilities in open work environments by reserving 1% of the  job quota in companies with 100 or more workers. In this study the limitations of this policy of access to employment for the promotion of the right to work and the configuration of more inclusive societies are examined. According to a critical analysis of the implementation of the legal initiative in the private sector, salary, age and gender gaps are observed in the incorporation and permanence of people in situations of disabilities in the labor market. Finally, it is concluded that labor insertion strategies in the field of disability do not question the power structures in capitalist society and are integrated into the foundations of the neoliberal model in contemporary Chile.