What Is A Special Employment Center? Features And Functions
The Special Employment Centers (CEE), also called Special Work Centers (CET), are companies that have the objective of promoting the labor integration of people with disabilities. That is, companies where the majority of their workers have some type of disability.
In this type of centers there is the figure of the psychologist. In this article, we will learn about some of their functions, the characteristics of EWCs, how they work and what types of services they offer. In addition, we will explain the different types of disabilities of the people who work there.
What is a Special Employment Center? A Special Employment Center (CEE), also called CET (Special Work Center), is a company that hires people with some type of disability The disability can be of any type (sensory, physical, mental and intellectual), depending on the type of work and the tasks and functions that it entails.
Thus, Special Employment Centers are a fundamental source of hiring and professional development for people with disabilities. Its objective is to provide workers with disabilities with the realization of a productive and paid job, appropriate to their personal characteristics and that facilitates labor integration of these in the ordinary labor market.
Characteristics
The Special Employment Centers are part of the protected labor market, that is, a type of market where positions are offered for socially vulnerable groups as in this case is the group of people with some type of disability.
The worker who joins a CEE or CET must have an official disability certificate, with a minimum degree of 33%; However, there is a small part of the workforce for people without disabilities, as we will explain later.
The CEE or CET were created in Spain by the Law of Social Integration of the Handicapped, now called the General Disability Law
Operation of a Special Employment Center
To fully understand what a Special Employment Center is, it is important to understand how it works. Normally in the Special Employment Centers there are other external companies that hire the services of the CEE; For example, a company whose product is tobacco packages with their lighter and filters included, hires the services of the CEE to manufacture these products.
Services of an EWC
Generally, a CEE or CET includes a series of common services. Generally, they are the following: gardening, maintenance, cleaning, janitorial and administration That is, the professionals with disabilities who will work in it will be trained (and/or have experience) in these fields.
Who works in a Special Employment Center?
In addition to workers with disabilities (for example cleaning, gardening, maintenance, janitorial, etc.), the Special Employment Centers also include workers who are part of the USAP team (Professional Care Support Unit). .
The USAP team is usually made up of psychologists and social workers,and is responsible for offering support and advice. On the other hand, supervisors of the different services, coordinators, governors, administrators, etc. also work; These workers may or may not have disabilities.
Professionals with disabilities
Now that we understand a little more what a Special Employment Center is, we can begin to locate its professionals who also have disabilities.
The term “disability”, according to the WHO (World Health Organization), is a general concept that encompasses impairments, activity limitations and restrictions on a person’s participation. But what does each thing mean? Impairments involve bodily functions, activity limitations are difficulties performing certain tasks, and participation restrictions involve problems participating in life situations
Types of disabilities
People with disabilities who work in a CEE, They have a minimum degree of 33% disability Disability can be of different types:
1. Sensory disability
It affects one (or several) of the sensory modalities: visual (blindness, malignant myopia,…), auditory (deafness),…
2. Intellectual disability
It is the most common in Special Employment Centers. Involves deficits in intellectual or cognitive functioning The degrees of intellectual disability in these workers are usually light, mild or moderate. People with severe intellectual disabilities usually go to occupational centers (OC).
3. Physical disability
It implies a motor deficiency; is about a condition that prevents or hinders free movement, physical performance and/or displacement in people. Examples of this are having a spinal cord injury (paraplegia, tetraplegia,…), amputations, scoliosis, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, etc.
4. Mental disability
It implies the existence of a mental disorder or illness. The person presents disorders in adaptive behavior, usually chronic. It would include cases of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder, etc
The figure of the psychologist in a CEE
Finally, to continue understanding what a Special Employment Center is, we must keep in mind that the figure of the psychologist exists within it. But what functions does it perform? Basically, and broadly speaking, the USAP team psychologist (already mentioned) is responsible for monitoring workers well, in all areas of their lives
Evaluates the different spheres of the worker and participates in their well-being, both in the workplace and outside of it. He is also in charge of the labor part.
At the follow-up level, the psychologist carries out the so-called PIIL (Individual Labor Integration Program), a document for each worker with a series of objectives in the personal, work and interpersonal areas. This document can be prepared jointly with the social worker and after an exhaustive follow-up interview with the worker.
