Inclusion and Integration of the Disabled into the Labor Market Against the Background of the New Regulations in Germany

The aim of the article is to present new regulations introduced by the Third Book of the Social Code in Germany that concern a reform of the labor market's active instruments gathered under the name "Instumentenreform". One of the main objectives of the reform is to improve the quality of programs and projects that activate the unemployed, but also to make efforts to include in the labor market groups that have not been activated in such a way so far. One of such groups are the disabled trained and employed in Invalids' Cooperatives. One of the further, and at the same time new, criteria for all organizations and institutions receiving and applying for funds to realize programs of the labor market and vocational trainings is the introduction and certification of the quality management system. The aim of the paper is to compare the activity of Invalids' Cooperatives in Po-land and Germany. This aim will be carried out by analyzing the regulations and as far as possible the data available (the regulations became effective in two stages: in April 2012, and since 01.01.2013 onwards). The findings of the article have been collected in the form of a description of the situation and forecast for 2013.