Spain Approves Cognitive Accessibility Rules for Employers — Easy-Read Job Ads Required from January 2027

Summary

Royal Decree 707/2026, approved on 2 September 2026, establishes Spain's first mandatory cognitive accessibility conditions for workplaces. From 2 January 2027, companies must ensure job postings are accessible, provide interview accommodations, and offer documents and training materials in easy-to-read language for employees with an intellectual disability rated at 33% or higher. Occupational risk training and emergency procedure documentation must also include easy-to-read versions. The decree applies nationally and adds a new compliance layer to Spain's existing 2% disability employment quota for firms with 50+ workers. This comes as Spain's disability employment rate reached a record 28.9% — up 42% since 2014, but still far below the 69.7% general rate. Meanwhile, the Spanish Senate is advancing a bill to strengthen enforcement of the quota. For multinational employers, Spain's cognitive accessibility rules set a potential benchmark for inclusive recruitment across Europe.