Emerging Steps from Productivism to Developmentalism? Disability Employment and Reasonable Accommodation in Taiwan

Taiwan exhibits characteristics of a productivist welfare regime, where social policies prioritise economic development over social protection. Disability employment policy traditionally focused on a person’s employability rather than modifying work environments. This article examines how reasonable accommodation for employees with intellectual disabilities is implemented in Taiwan in the absence of legal mandates. Analysis of interviews with people with intellectual disabilities, employers, and employment service providers examined practical strategies they used to facilitate accommodation. The findings were that reasonable accommodation was mostly ad hoc, low cost, and dependent on employers’ discretion. Workers were often unaware of their rights and seldom self-advocated. Accommodation was only provided when it did not disrupt productivity, with little attention to long-term inclusion or career development. Without stronger legal mandates, reasonable accommodation risks remaining a managerial favour. Moving toward a developmentalist model that combines binding obligations with supportive measures would enhance inclusion and align employment policy with UN principles.