Hiring people with disabilities in Uzbekistan: employer duties

Organizations with more than twenty employees (Article 39 of the Employment Law) reserve jobs under a district or city Kengash decision. Employees with Group I or II disabilities are entitled to shorter hours with full pay and at least 30 calendar days of leave (Article 429 of the Labor Code), while employers may qualify for several separate subsidies.

In brief:

• the quota mechanism applies to an organization whose average headcount exceeds twenty employees (Article 39 of the Employment Law); the overall reserved share is capped at 7%, including at least 3% for persons with disabilities;
• the organization identifies jobs by 1 September, reports them by 15 September, and receives the following year’s decision by 15 November;
• Group I and II employees have a maximum 36-hour working week (Article 427 of the Labor Code), at least 30 days of paid leave, and up to 14 days of unpaid leave;
• support includes UZS 660.000 per month for hiring an employee, a one-off UZS 4.080.000 payment under the Group I–II program, and up to UZS 17.600.000 to adapt a workplace;
• an employer must document the quota, employment contract, medical conditions, and criteria of the selected subsidy separately: one form of support does not replace another.

Updated: 05 September 2026

Eligibility, quotas and hiring

Who can work and where

A disability does not by itself restrict a person’s choice of lawful employment. The law permits work in organizations with ordinary working conditions (Article 42 of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), at specialized enterprises, workshops and sites, and through individual or other lawful activity.

The statutory definition covers a person with lasting physical, mental, sensory, or psychological impairments who needs social support, protection, and conditions for equal participation. The law also defines reasonable accommodation (Article 3 of the Law) as adjustments in an individual case that enable the person to exercise rights on an equal basis with others.

For an employer, this means assessing the particular job instead of imposing a general restriction based on the disability group. Medical recommendations determine contraindications, workload, and the work schedule, while the candidate’s qualifications are assessed against the position’s lawful requirements.

How the job quota works

The minimum number of jobs does not apply to every employer and is not a percentage that an organization sets on its own. It applies to organizations with an average headcount above twenty. A Kengash decision may cover no more than 7% of staff in total, including at least 3% for persons with disabilities.

Article 43 of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities still refers to a minimum of three percent and names local executive authorities. The procedural rule in the current Article 39 of the Employment Law assigns the annual decision to the district or city Kengash. The employer follows the Kengash decision formally communicated to it rather than relying on the general percentage alone.

The annual reservation timetable (Article 39 of the Employment Law) is as follows:

A job for a person with a disability must be certified for working conditions and allow the employee to perform duties without obstruction, taking account of health and contraindications. Jobs already held by eligible employees count toward the number. An organization can fill the quota by hiring on a labor authority referral or by independently hiring a suitable candidate.

Example. With an average headcount of 100 employees, a decision may set up to 7 reserved jobs, at least 3 of them for persons with disabilities. The binding obligation is the number stated in the decision for that organization.

How hiring works

Persons with disabilities are a socially vulnerable category. Where the candidate is referred to a reserved job and a suitable vacancy exists, the employer must hire the candidate (Article 38 of the Employment Law). The Labor Code separately confirms the right to reserved jobs (Article 423 of the Labor Code).

The general ban on discrimination covers direct and indirect restrictions unrelated to business qualities and work performance. Special conditions for persons who need increased social protection are not discrimination. An affected person may seek removal of the violation and compensation for financial and non-financial harm. Equality of labor rights is established by Article 4 of the Labor Code.

Refusing a candidate referred toward the statutory minimum is unlawful. At the candidate’s request, the employer must provide written reasons within three days (Article 119 of the Labor Code). Failure to provide them does not prevent a challenge.

In a dispute, the candidate may seek an order providing the job and compensation for financial and non-financial harm. The employer proves the refusal lawful (Article 120 of the Labor Code), so the vacancy, referral, assessment result, and any medical basis for refusal should be documented.

Since 1 June 2025, the Unified National Social Protection system has maintained an electronic register of employable persons with disabilities. Since 1 August 2025, the Unified National Labor System has operated a job reservation system that takes account of candidates’ physical condition, abilities, and qualifications.

This section covers the special rules for a candidate with a disability. The general document list, contract terms, hiring order, and registration in the Unified National Labor System are covered in the employee hiring guide. HR teams need that guide after selecting a candidate.

Workplace, hours, pay and leave

What the workplace must address

An employer may not assign work that is medically contraindicated. Recommendations of the medical and social expert commission (MSEC) on part-time work, reduced workload, and other conditions are binding on the employer (Article 424 of the Labor Code).

Pay, working time, rest, and leave conditions cannot place an employee with a disability below the statutory standard or restrict rights compared with other employees. Refusal to hire, refusal to promote, and termination because of disability are prohibited. An exception applies where an MSEC opinion confirms that the person cannot perform the duties or that the work would create a safety risk. Equal working conditions are set out in Article 425 of the Labor Code.

A mandatory medical examination is required before hiring and then annually, at the employer’s expense. This special examination rule appears in Article 426 of the Labor Code. The employee keeps the job and average earnings (Article 360 of the Labor Code) during a mandatory examination. The employer must suspend a person who has not completed the examination or who avoids the resulting medical recommendations.

Adaptation depends on the particular limitation: access to the premises, suitable furniture, software, communication tools, alarms, or a different organization of the work process. Buying equipment does not displace the duty to follow MSEC recommendations, and a medical recommendation does not replace certification of a reserved job.

How to set working time and pay

Employees with Group I or II disabilities work no more than 36 hours per week. MSEC recommendations determine shift length, subject to a maximum of 7 hours 30 minutes under a five-day week and 6 hours under a six-day week. The weekly and daily limits are in Article 427 of the Labor Code.

This is reduced statutory working time, not part-time work. The reduced standard applies without reducing pay (Article 183 of the Labor Code): an employee who completes the special standard receives full-standard pay under the contract.

Part-time work is a different arrangement. An employer must establish it at the request of a person with a disability where MSEC recommends that arrangement. Pay is then proportional to time worked or output, but leave length, service, and other employment rights are not reduced. The part-time work rules are in Article 186 of the Labor Code.

Example. If the monthly salary for the full standard is UZS 6,000,000, a Group I or II employee who completes the prescribed 36-hour week keeps the UZS 6,000,000 salary. If MSEC recommends an 18-hour part-time arrangement and the contract provides for time-proportional pay, the calculated amount is UZS 3,000,000.

A business trip, night work, overtime, and work on a weekend or public holiday are permitted only with the employee’s consent (Article 428 of the Labor Code) and only if MSEC recommendations do not prohibit them. Consent alone is insufficient where the medical recommendation excludes that workload.

This article does not calculate premiums for night work, overtime, or public holidays. The formulas and minimum multipliers are in the guides to working time and salary. They apply together with the special restrictions for an employee with a disability.

What leave is available

An employee with a Group I or II disability receives at least 30 calendar days (Article 429 of the Labor Code) of annual leave. The employee chooses a convenient time and cannot be recalled from leave. If disability is established or removed during the working year, leave length is calculated proportionally for the relevant period.

In the first working year, the employee may request full paid leave before completing six months (Article 227 of the Labor Code). In the second and later years, the right to a convenient time for leave (Article 228 of the Labor Code) must be reflected in the schedule.

An employee with a disability cannot be left without leave (Article 230 of the Labor Code) in the current working year. In addition to paid leave, the employer must grant a Group I or II employee up to 14 calendar days (Article 430 of the Labor Code) of unpaid leave each year on written request.

The calculation of leave pay and the general rules for transferring or splitting leave are not repeated here. Check them in the vacations guide when HR prepares the schedule or calculates the payment.

Subsidies and relief

What subsidies and reliefs are available

An employer selects a measure by its separate criteria: disability group, hiring channel, length of employment, salary level, hiring above the quota, training, or type of adaptation. Current support is not one universal payment. BRV means the base calculation unit; the figures below use the site’s current BRV multiplier.

For the one-off Group I–II support, the applicant uses the Unified National Social Protection system or the Single Interactive Public Services Portal within six months after satisfying the conditions. The system verifies the register entry, registered contract, and payroll accrual; review takes two working days.

The special service amount depends on the service: UZS 3.520.000 per month for a sign-language interpreter covering at least 5 eligible employees; UZS 4.400.000 for a psychologist covering at least 10 Group I–II employees; or UZS 2.200.000 per person for a support service. The employer may choose only one service type, and the support service is funded for no more than two months.

A non-state legal entity that pays a Group I or II employee at least the minimum monthly wage calculates social tax at a 1% rate. An individual entrepreneur is not charged social tax for such an employee.

Several measures may apply together if the employer separately satisfies each measure’s criteria. A recipient under Cabinet Resolution No. 405 retains access to other subsidies and reliefs.

Example. The general hiring subsidy for one employee is UZS 660.000 × 6 = UZS 3.960.000 over six months. If a socially vulnerable person is hired above the quota, the separate payment is UZS 880.000 × 12 = UZS 10.560.000. Under the Group I–II program, three months at monthly pay of at least UZS 2.720.000 can support a one-off UZS 4.080.000 payment. Eligibility for each amount is assessed separately.

How to obtain the adaptation subsidy

The new payment reimburses documented costs of a workplace and working conditions, capped at UZS 17.600.000 per job. The employer applies to the labor department at its place of registration through the public portal or labor system after completing the adaptation.

The application states employer and employee details, costs, and bank information. It includes the hiring order and three months of payroll data. An incomplete file or absence of an actual adaptation results in a reasoned refusal.

A labor department specialist performs an on-site check within three days, records the result with photographs, and prepares a report signed by the specialist, employer, and employee. After a positive conclusion, payment is made within one working day for actual costs within the cap.

The full annex contains 57 measures in 11 groups. The table below gives examples only and is not exhaustive:

Example. If documented costs are UZS 12,000,000 and the UZS 17.600.000 cap is higher, the payment is limited to the actual UZS 12,000,000. If costs exceed UZS 17.600.000, the employer bears the difference.

Transfer, dismissal and liability

When transfer or dismissal is possible

Where a medical opinion requires a permanent transfer to lighter or safer work, the employer must transfer the employee with the employee’s consent if a vacancy exists. Refusal by the employee or absence of suitable work may lead to termination with severance pay. Transfer for medical reasons is governed by Article 143 of the Labor Code.

Before termination, the employer offers work matching the employee’s occupation and qualifications, then other available work, and, where necessary, suitable fixed-term work. The offer must comply with the medical opinion. The vacancy offer procedure is in Article 144 of the Labor Code.

Termination because of disability is prohibited. The medical exception applies only where an MSEC opinion confirms inability to perform the duties or a safety risk. An employer also cannot terminate a person with a disability during temporary incapacity or leave, except on complete liquidation of the organization. This protection from dismissal is in Article 42 of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In a redundancy, qualification and productivity are compared first. Only where they are equal does disability give a preference to remain employed (Article 167 of the Labor Code), alongside the other listed circumstances; it is not an absolute bar to redundancy.

This section covers only the special medical and anti-discrimination limits. The general procedure, notice, payments, and challenges are explained in the guides to changes in employment terms and dismissal. Check them before issuing an order.

What liability the employer faces

Failure to comply with a Kengash decision on the minimum number of jobs exposes the responsible officer to a fine of UZS 4.400.000–8.800.000. The same range applies to an unjustified refusal of a referred candidate where a vacancy or quota job exists. A repeat offense within one year carries UZS 8.800.000–13.200.000. The fine ranges are set by Article 50 of the Code of Administrative Liability.

A subsidy paid incorrectly because of inaccurate data, a technical issue, or a calculation error must be returned to the Fund within one month after detection. Any amount not repaid voluntarily is recovered through court proceedings.

In addition to the fine, an unlawful refusal may lead to an order to provide the job and compensate the claimant. Breaching medical recommendations, working-time limits, or leave rights may constitute a separate violation of labor law depending on the circumstances.

Changes and employer checks

What changed in 2025–2026

• Law No. ZRU-1109 of 30 December 2025 replaced district and city khokims and khokimiyats in Article 39 of the Employment Law with district and city Kengashes of People’s Deputies. The labor authority communicates the adopted decision to an organization by 15 November.
• From 1 January 2026, the subsidy in Cabinet Resolution No. 405 of 1 July 2025 for sustained employment of persons with Group I–II disabilities has applied in every region, rather than only the initially listed regions and Karakalpakstan.
• Ministerial Order No. 03-2026/B, registered on 7 May 2026 under No. 3832 and published on 8 May 2026, established the new Employment Assistance Fund subsidy procedure. It takes effect after three months from official publication, so it applies on the revision date to training, above-quota hiring, and workplace adaptation.

What the employer should check

Before hiring and applying for support, the employer should keep one working file for the candidate and job:

1. check whether a Kengash decision applies to the organization and the number of jobs it specifies;
2. compare the position and working conditions with contraindications and obtain current MSEC recommendations;
3. arrange the pre-employment medical examination at the employer’s expense and document the result;
4. prepare an accessible, certified job and retain evidence of adaptation costs;
5. sign and register the employment contract, recording any required special working-time arrangement separately;
6. accrue salary at the level required for the selected subsidy or tax relief;
7. complete the required employment period, apply through the correct system, and retain the decision, inspection report, and payment documents;
8. maintain a calendar for the annual medical examination, leave, and repayment deadline if an overpayment is identified.

This process separates four obligations: complying with the quota, observing individual working conditions, maintaining correct employment records, and documenting state support.

Frequently asked questions

Must every employer reserve three percent of jobs for persons with disabilities?

No. The minimum-job mechanism applies to organizations with an average headcount above twenty. A district or city Kengash adopts a decision for specific organizations; the overall minimum may not exceed 7%, and at least 3% within it is allocated to persons with disabilities. The employer follows the communicated decision and may count suitable jobs already held by eligible employees.

May an employer refuse a referred candidate with a disability?

A refusal may be based on documented failure to meet lawful job requirements, including a medical contraindication, but not on disability itself. If the candidate is referred toward the minimum number and a suitable vacancy exists, the employer must hire the person. At the candidate’s request, the reasons must be given in writing within three days; in court, the employer proves that the refusal was lawful.

Is salary reduced for a 36-hour week?

No, where this is the reduced statutory standard for a Group I or II employee: it applies without reducing pay. Proportional pay applies to part-time work, for example where MSEC recommends that arrangement and it is established at the employee’s request. The contract and time records should distinguish the two arrangements.

Can an employer receive several subsidies for one employee?

It may be possible where the applicable regulation permits combination and the employer separately satisfies every program’s criteria. The checks cover disability group, contract registration, length of official employment, payroll level, above-quota status, training, and documented adaptation costs. The same payment is not granted again for the same person where the program makes it a one-off award.

What special rights apply to a Group III employee?

The discrimination ban, binding MSEC recommendations, employer-funded medical examinations, and protection from termination because of disability apply to persons with disabilities generally. The Labor Code expressly reserves the 36-hour week, at least 30 days of annual leave, and up to 14 days of unpaid leave for Group I and II employees.