MeAC – Measuring Progress of eAccessibility in Europe

Policy approaches based on equality / anti-discrimination legislation have considerable potential in the eAccessibility field. Such approaches can provide people with disabilities – individually or collectively – with a right to seek redress if they are confronted with inaccessible ICT equipment or services, either in relation to ICT-based goods and services in a general sense or in relation to specific usage contexts.

Legislation/regulations

The Employment Contracts Act appears to be the main anti-discrimination legislation in Estonia, however it makes no direct reference to eAccessibility issues. The Law on the Legal Chancellor (implemented 2004) established the Legal Chancellor (essentially an ombudsman) as a pre-judicial institution for discrimination disputes, including for people with disabilities.

Goods and services equality

There is no direct legislation outlawing discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

Employment equality

Currently, the Employment Contracts Act appears to provide the main anti-discrimination provisions for disabled people in relation to employment and, at least partially, implements the EU Directive, though it does not include reasonable accommodation. However, the draft Law of Equal Treatment (currently pending) appears to implement the EU Employment Equality Directive more completely. It stipulates that employers shall take reasonable measures to enable a person with a disability to have access to, participate in, or advance in employment, or to undergo training, unless such measures would impose a disproportionate burden on the employer.

Other relevant provisions for disabled people seem mainly to have been implemented through the “Law on Employment Services and Allowances”, 2006. This states that “every disabled person of working age, who is unemployed and searching for work, has a right to register as unemployed and receive employment services on equal grounds with other unemployed people – irrespective of the extent of loss of capacity for work or the level of disability.” eAccessibility is not specifically covered, per se, but the law refers to adaptations to workplace premises work equipment and special aids and equipment (AT).

The PHARE-funded project “Enhancing employment opportunities for disabled persons” (2003-2004) has been a major project in the field with the overall objective to enhance employability and integration of disabled people into the labour market; designing workplace adaptation programme; working with employers to raise their awareness of disability issues and provide assistance in recruitment and disability management are part of the initiative.

Education

There do not appear to be any specific initiatives in relation to eAccessibility of education.

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