Living inclusion

No state barriers for people with disabilities

Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Head of the Provincial Government, with blind employee Franz Mayer.(Bild: NLK Pfeiffer)

1937 people with disabilities work in the Lower Austrian state service: Franz Mayer is one of them and is responsible for safety in the workplace.

Inclusion is practiced here in Lower Austria - and not just on today's International Day of Disability. Franz Mayer himself can confirm this. He has been working for the state since 1979. He lost his sight in 2017.

However, as an employee of the Buildings and Property Management department, he still shows off his talents and works as a safety specialist to protect employees. "I commute to St. Pölten every day and don't really want to retire," says Mayer.

Franz Mayer's positive attitude towards life makes him an inspiring role model for all people - be it through his professional expertise, his voluntary work for the Association of the Blind or his personal strength.

Landeshauptfrau Johanna Mikl-Leitner

Since going blind, he has been advising on accessibility and the installation of tactile guidance systems (orientation aids for people with disabilities) in the government district and in district administrative offices with the support of a personal assistant.

Diverse inclusion measures in the state
"Franz Mayer meets all challenges with flexibility and a great sense of humor," says Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner. True to the motto "If you don't try, you can't have any luck!" This makes Franz Mayer one of 1937 people with disabilities currently working in the state service. This is because the talents, strengths and abilities of people with disabilities are being used here.