Parents of children with disabilities and personal assistants are objecting to proposed amendments to the Personal Assistance Act. The bill provides for a new method of payment and the replacement of employment contracts with special contracts, raising concerns about lower incomes and the loss of social rights.
In a report by NOVA, a mother of a child with a disability said that her current employment contract guarantees her rights in the event of sick leave and maternity leave. “This bill deprives us of our social rights. We are currently employed under employment contracts and are entitled to sick leave and maternity benefits,” said Desislava.
Parents cannot realistically work elsewhere
The dissatisfied families point out that under the current rules, personal assistants can formally have another job as well. According to them, however, this possibility is difficult to make use of, as caring for children with disabilities requires a constant presence and a significant commitment.
Another concern is the proposal that personal assistants’ wages should no longer be tied to the minimum wage. Parents fear that if the minimum wage is increased in 2027, their incomes could remain at the 2026 level.
“They cannot cover even the therapies”
The families are also raising the question of whether the authorities are familiar with the actual costs of raising a child with a disability. A mother said that her salary and her daughter’s TELK benefit are not enough even to cover the therapies the child attends.
“My salary and my daughter’s TELK benefit cannot cover even the therapies she attends.”According to her, this amount does not include the costs of food, clothes and toys. Because of the proposed changes, parents and personal assistants are discussing the possibility of holding a protest.
Sources: novini.bg