OFFICIAL STATUS OF SELF-EMPLOYED WORKER WITH A DISABILITY (TRAVAILLEUR INDEPENDENT HANDICAPÉ, TIH), FRANCE

To qualify as a TIH, a person must be recognised as a person with a disability (as per the 2005 Law for Persons with Disabilities) and be self-employed, create or take over a business. The activity must enable them to ensure lasting employment compatible with their disability. To be eligible the project must (i) give the disabled person the status of owner of the company, and, (ii) be of an amount at least equivalent to EUR 7 500 including a personal contribution in equity of a minimum of EUR 1 500, the start-up subsidy for entrepreneurs with disabilities (amounting to EUR 5 000) and other funding. The status is granted automatically to eligible recipients.

The TIH status offers two main benefits. First, there is a financial incentive for corporate clients to do business with TIH entrepreneurs: in France, companies who do not meet the target to employ 6% of people with disabilities in their workforce are required to make a financial contribution to Agefiph (the organisation managing the fund for the professional integration of people with disabilities). Most businesses do not meet this objective. Companies who do business with TIHs can benefit from a reduction of their financial contribution to Agefiph. Second, the TIH is eligible to financial and non-financial support provided by Agefiph and the organisations and services that operate on behalf of Agefiph. These includes Cap Emploi, which supports entrepreneurs with hiring, and BGE, which provides support for business growth.