- The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Employment publishes today in the Bocyl the call for grants aimed at co-financing the salary costs of workers with disabilities in the special employment centers of the Community
- The Director General of Social Economy and Self-Employment highlights the important work of these social economy entities during her visit to the Valora2 Foundation center in Palencia, where more than a hundred people with disabilities work
February 18, 2025
Castilla y León | Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Employment
The Director General of Social Economy and Self-Employment, Emma Fernández, along with the territorial delegate of the Junta in Palencia, José Antonio Rubio, visited today the facilities of the special employment center of the Valora2 Foundation (part of the San Cebrián Foundation), which has a staff of 119 workers, 102 of whom have disabilities.
During the visit, Fernández, accompanied by the manager of the San Cebrián Foundation Group, Eva del Río, and the employment manager, Desiré Sieiras, highlighted the important work that these social economy entities carry out in facilitating access to employment and, therefore, the full social inclusion of people with disabilities.
Call for grants to co-finance salary costs
In addition, Fernández took advantage of this visit to inform about the call for grants that the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Employment publishes today in the Official Bulletin of Castilla y León, aimed at supporting the hiring of workers with disabilities in the special employment centers of the Community.
This call, with an initial amount of 24.2 million euros, aims to promote the employment of people with disabilities in the special employment centers of Castilla y León, through partial financing of labor costs, thus supporting the creation and maintenance of employment for this group with special difficulties in accessing the labor market.
Special employment centers registered in the Register of Special Employment Centers of the Community and operating in Castilla y León can apply for these grants to co-finance the labor costs of their workers with disabilities, during the period from December 2024 to November 2025, both inclusive.
The amount of the grant per worker will depend on the type and degree of disability of the hired individuals and the stability of the job they hold.
In this sense, when the grant is requested to finance the labor costs of workers with a disability degree equal to or greater than 33 percent and less than 65 percent, the amount will be equivalent to 50% of the current interprofessional minimum wage when holding a permanent contract, and 40% when holding a temporary contract.
Meanwhile, when the grant is requested to cover the labor costs of individuals with a higher degree of disability, and therefore with greater difficulties in accessing the labor market, the amount of the grant per worker will be 55% of the current interprofessional minimum wage (60% if the individual is a woman or over 45 years old) when holding a permanent contract, and 50% when holding a temporary contract.
More grants, more centers, more jobs
This support line for hiring in special employment centers by the Junta de Castilla y León has been steadily increasing in recent years and has contributed to the consolidation and growth of these entities, which support a large part of the employment of people with disabilities in Castilla y León. In this regard, it is worth noting that in the last 10 years, the number of centers in Castilla y León has increased by 30% and the number of workers with disabilities hired by almost 48%.
Last year, there were 316 centers that benefited from this call and 6,655 workers with disabilities who received grants, figures that the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Employment expects to maintain or exceed this year.
In the province of Palencia, there were 23 special employment centers that availed themselves of this grant program last year, receiving grants totaling more than 3 million euros. These grants have allowed the maintenance of 475 jobs for people with disabilities, 43 of them over 55 years old and facing special employability challenges.
Valora2 a reference in Castilla y León
The special employment center of the Valora2 Foundation, visited today by the Director General of Social Economy and Self-Employment, is a reference in this type of entities in the Community, particularly in the province of Palencia. It brings together more than 20% of the total workers with disabilities in special employment centers in the province and offers a wide range of professional services to the people of Palencia, contributing to generating economic activity and advancing social cohesion.
Currently, Valora2 has a staff of 119 workers, 102 of whom have some form of disability, mostly intellectual. Its professionals carry out a wide range of activities, such as cleaning services, laundry, concierge, gardening, oil recycling, industrial handling, or upholstery, addressing a wide range of services with a growing demand from the people of Palencia.
The San Cebrián Foundation Group, of which it is a part, has been committed since its inception in 1981 to employment models for people with intellectual disabilities, starting its activities in gardening and gradually incorporating new activities and new employment models.
In 2014, the Valora2 Employment Foundation was established with the aim of creating job opportunities for people with disabilities, enhancing their integral development, and contributing economic and social value to projects. The Foundation manages the Special Employment Center, which seeks to balance economic viability and market participation with its social commitment to groups with fewer opportunities in the labor market.