Communiqué, issue 6, 2004
Special Foundation Forum 2004
- Time to re-think work-life balance: Second Foundation Forum debates key issues
- Do we need to work longer hours?
- Time and flexibility
- Investing in work-life balance – a win-win situation?
- Work and care - payback for the elderly or investment in a new generation?
- Keynote round-up
- An economy or a society: where do we live and work?
Articles
- Focusing firmly on the year ahead
- Foundation forges closer ties with the EP
- Disability and social exclusion: Reversing the trend
- Europe ‘not losing jobs’ due to outsourcing of ICT services
Previous issues of Communiqué
The number of people claiming long-term disability payments is rising in many EU Member States and exceeds 10% of the labour force in some countries. The workplace is one of the key areas that needs to be addressed, in helping to reverse this trend, argues the Foundation in its recent report – Employment and disability: Back to work strategies.
In many EU Member States, the number of people in receipt of disability benefits, or who leave work permanently for health reasons, is higher than the number of people who are outside employment for other reasons. Research shows that most people who leave work due to illness or disability have acquired this problem during their working lives.
Despite growing concerns at EU and national levels, knowledge is still limited in many countries about the types and effectiveness of measures, which could encourage people with a chronic illness or disability to remain in employment.
‘The main aims of our research on employment and disability are to bridge the existing knowledge gap and to promote debate,’ highlights Willy Buschak, the Foundation’s Acting Director.
‘It proposes a new model for understanding the problem, and it offers a solution with a comprehensive approach, which involves the worker, family, employer, doctor, occupational and HR staff.’
The full report is available at: www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/EF04115.htm