As sheltered employment has grown so have calls for recognition of its contribution to the economy. The legal framework within which it operates varies widely, from that governing an "ordinary" enterprise to that regulating therapeutic establishments. The question therefore arises of the employment status and rights of the persons with disabilities working in such "protected environments". The author examines how far its "protective" function influences working conditions, and then outlines a typology of approaches to sheltered workshops, in all regions. He concludes that impairment presents no unsurmountable obstacle to integration into working life or to workers' personal and collective fulfilment.