Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province recently introduced policies to support the employment and self-employment of people with disabilities, local media reported on Sept 14.

The policies apply to disabled people of working age (ages 16 to 59 for male; 16 to 54 for female) who are permanent residents of Zhoushan and have a second-generation disability certificate.

Small and micro-sized companies will receive a maximum one-time subsidy of 3 million yuan ($443,860) if the number of their disabled employees accounts for 20 percent of the total and the companies have signed labor contracts with them and paid a year's worth of social insurance fees for them.

Disabled people who are self-employed or have flexible employment will receive a subsidy equivalent to the self-paid old-age insurance fee, impoverished disabled people will receive a subsidy equivalent to 60 percent of the self-paid old-age insurance fee, and others will receive a subsidy equivalent to 30 percent of the self-paid old-age insurance fee.

Disabled people who start their first businesses in Zhoushan, run the businesses themselves, and pay social insurance fees for at least six months will receive a one-time subsidy of 5,000 yuan.

These disabled people can also receive rent subsidies of up to 12,000 yuan per year if they have managed their business for at least one year.

Moreover, the disabled persons' federations in Zhoushan will offer vocational skills training for disabled people free of charge and will grant up to 2,000 yuan to disabled people with certificates for critically needed junior or senior technicians.

Eligible individuals or companies can apply for the subsidies at local disabled persons' federations before October 20 each year.