Riga, April 14-17, 2009 Workshop 1 Disability and Work: Breaking the Barriers Prof. Marga Živitere, Doc. Aija Laura Živitere Information Systems Management Institute INCREASING EMPLOYABILITY OF DISABLED PEOPLE

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work2 INEMDIP Tasks & ISMA Activities Activities since last IPM ISMA on Work Packages Recruitment Strategies/ Contact with Potential Organisations Reports from –The Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations (SUSTENTO); –Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK); –Colleagues from University of Medicine on European Projects about Disability and Work Issues; –Latvia Employment Agency; and from –Latvia Social Welfare Ministry Potential Challenges Incorporating into the INEMDIP Course Module New Research on Disability and Work (e.g., OECD Reports on Sickness, Disability and Work in Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Australia, Luxembourg, Spain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands) –ISMA Appendices to Course Module or Case Studies within the text on Luxembourg, the UK (Updating AnDE) –ISMA Appendices to Course Module or Case Studies within the text on Latvia

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work3 INEMDIP Tasks & ISMA Activities I Activities since last IPM ISMA on Work Packages and the Valorisation Plan –Work package 1: Management –Work package 5: Analysis of Strategy Organization of a workshop in Latvia to analyse and evaluate the collected materials, distribution of chapters to each partner for preparation of the draft material; Work out the modules “The possibilities of employers to cooperate with educational, governmental institutions, employment agencies and social organizations” and “The development of appropriate conditions in the work place for people with disabilities Compiling the learning material “Increasing employability of Disabled People” Work out of the content of the learning material, Study Guide and the Tutor’s notes Translation of the materials into Turkish, Latvian, and Bulgarian languages –The Valorisation Plan

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work4 INEMDIP Tasks & ISMA Activities II Recruitment Strategies/ Contact with Potential Organisations Reports from –The Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations (SUSTENTO); –Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK); –Colleagues from University of Medicine on European Projects about Disability and Work Issues; –Latvia Employment Agency; and from –Latvia Social Welfare Ministry

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work5 INEMDIP Tasks & ISMA Activities III Potential Challenges Incorporating into the INEMDIP Course Module New Research on Disability and Work (e.g., OECD Reports on Sickness, Disability and Work in Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Australia, Luxembourg, Spain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands) –ISMA Appendices to Course Module or Case Studies within the text on Luxembourg, the UK (Updating AnDE) –ISMA Appendices to Course Module or Case Studies within the text on Latvia

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work6 ISMA Updates: Case Studies Disability: Definitions and Measurement Disability nowadays is apprehended as a multi-dimensional and a dynamic phenomenon, going beyond physical impairments and including societal factors as well as changes over time Two issues need to be disentangled: –the different definitional approaches on the one hand and –issues of measurement methods and instruments on the other. Two definitions: –Disability can be defined as a self-assessed status or else as a legal status based on administrative sources, e.g. benefit receipt. Measurement methods and instruments –Self-assessed disability status is measured via household surveys. –Benefit recipient status can be measured through administrative records or else through surveys

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work7 ISMA Updates: Case Study Luxembourg 1 (Materials A) The current situation Key policy recommendations –Make responsibilities and incentives stronger for employers –Strengthen responsibilities and incentives for workers –Improve rehabilitation and placement efforts

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work8 ISMA Updates: Case Study Luxembourg 2 (Materials A) Key policy recommendations for employers –Raise financial incentives for employers to prevent sickness –Strengthen internal redeployment. tighten rules for approved non-compliance and extend the redeployment obligation to workers ending a temporary disability benefit claim; involve employers in the rehabilitation and retraining of their sick or disabled employees; and speed up the process to avoid unnecessary loss of skills, work motivation and, in particular, jobs before the procedure starts –Disassociate internal redeployment from the employment quota

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work9 ISMA Updates: Case Study Luxembourg 3 (Materials A) Key policy recommendations for workers –Improve work incentives for people with disability not in work. High disability benefits help to reduce poverty rates but pose obstacles in bringing people with disability back to work. –Strengthen job-search requirements. –Re-evaluate work capacity of people who are internally redeployed with a wage compensation.

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work10 ISMA Updates: Case Study Luxembourg 4 (Materials A) Key policy recommendations how to improve rehabilitation and placement efforts –Research the reasons for the failure of the redeployment process –Put more emphasis on vocational rehabilitation and training. –Develop a rigorous evaluation strategy. –Increase the flexibility of the system. –Strengthen the work capacity focus of the procedure.

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work11 The current situation Key policy recommendations –Accelerate the identification of health problems –Address the circumstances of unemployed and inactive people –Raise the number of people helped by work integration programmes –Benefit reform to improve work incentives and increase incomes ISMA Updates: Case Study UK 1 (Materials B)

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work12 Key policy recommendations for employers in order to Accelerate the Identification of Health Problems –Intensify employer responsibilities and support. –Strengthen early medical controls of workers’ health status. –Advance eligibility assessment for a disability benefit. ISMA Updates: Case Study UK 2 (Materials B)

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work13 Key policy recommendations in order to Address the Circumstances of Unemployed and Inactive People –Improve absence monitoring of the non- employed. –Address the group of people moving between unemployment and disability. ISMA Updates: Case Study UK 3 (Materials B)

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work14 Key policy recommendations in order to Raise the Number of People Helped by Work Integration Programmes Foster employment service delivery. Underpin the new conditionality approach. Further improve the condition management programmes (CMP). Strengthen the focus on sustainable employment outcomes. Further refine funding rates by:  reducing the payment rate for very short work hours (permitted work);  changing the definition of sustained employment from 13 to at least 26 weeks and adding a component for long-term sustained employment; and  including a reward for continued provision of in-work support leading to higher earnings (career component). Ensure that more disadvantaged people have access to services. ISMA Updates: Case Study UK 3 (Materials B)

ISMA, 2009Disability and Work15 ISMA Updates: Case Study UK 4 (Materials B) Key policy recommendations for the forthcoming Benefit Reform in order to Improve Work Incentives and Increase Incomes –Increase incentives for beneficiaries to seek work. –Raise the impact of in-work payments. Raise the take-up of the Working Tax Credit by informing clients about the impact on their future earnings as systematically and early as possible. Consider extending the income range at which this permanent in-work benefit is paid. –Improve incomes of people with disability. Reconsider the level of existing cost-of-disability benefits, such as the Disability Living Allowance, to ensure that these benefits cover the actual additional costs of a person with a disability. Better private disability insurance coverage, ideally with case-managed insurance contracts, would contribute to higher incomes of people no longer able to work.

Riga, April 14-17, 2009 Workshop 1 Disability and Work: Breaking the Barriers Prof. Marga Živitere, Doc. Aija Laura Živitere Information Systems Management Institute INCREASING EMPLOYABILITY OF DISABLED PEOPLE