This article considers the issues associated with the use of quota systems for the employment of workers with a disability. It examines the use and experiences of such quotas in Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom. Italy has a long established quota system for the employment of such workers, whilst the modern Russian system is a more recent innovation. In contrast, the UK abandoned quotas in the 1990s. The article draws on the experiences of the three countries to consider generally whether the use of quotas is an acceptable means of encouraging employers to take on disabled workers, or necessary to achieve this objective.