The present paper contains a research into the issue of employment and legal safeguarding of social protection of young individuals suffering from cognitive disorders in Ukraine. The importance of legislative guarantees of equal rights and possibilities for such category of individuals, in comparison with all other members of the society, in connection with provision of medical services, education and employment, was emphasised. The issue of employment of mentally retarded persons at the current stage was analysed. The contemporary society witnesses an ever-growing number of requirements set with respect to the professional and specialised education of specialists. Currently, one of the most critical issues to be faced by the graduates of special schools is employment and successful integration into society. Employment of mentally retarded individuals provides the latter with the possibility to make their own material contribution into the budget of the family in which they live and are brought up. Employment of such individuals becomes of particular importance when they live on their own and should be socialised in society, have a sufficient material income and ensure that they are not below the poverty line. The present paper contains analysis of the data pertaining to the special schools' graduates' entering the vocational colleges and determines the share of young individuals who continue to stay at home, refrain from continuation of their education and employment in the future. The paper also contains references to the state legislative acts which guarantee the right to labour for the citizens of Ukraine. Employment of mentally retarded individuals resolves numerous social problems, as the individuals falling within such category often finds themselves in the situations resulting in commitment of offences and such individuals become the parties injured by the actions of fraudsters and plunderers, suffer from financial difficulties and poverty. [Paper presented at the Inclusive and Supportive Education IV Conference Congresso Internacional da Pró-Inclusão (8th, Lisbon, Portugal, July 26-29, 2016).]