Why is it important?

Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) reported that between 2005 and 2015, the share of respondents declaring that they had experienced discrimination in the workplace increased from 5% to 7%, with different levels and trend developments across the Member States. Age discrimination experienced by both younger and older workers tends to be the most prevalent form, but discrimination on the grounds of disability and unequal treatment based on race and ethnicity are also common, particularly in recruitment processes. Discriminatory practices and attitudes in the recruitment process for people with disabilities contribute to a disability employment gap of around 20% in the EU (Eurofound, 2018b). The pandemic that washed over Europe did not only lay bare the continent’s health vulnerabilities but also exposed the consequences of deep-seated inequalities.