VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION IN REPUBLIC OF CROATIA NADA TURČIĆ, MD, PhD CROATIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ZAGREB,CROATIA EASOM SUMMER SCHOOL 2015 – TEACHING PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS AT WORK Lake Bled, Slovenia, 26th – 29th August

 In Croatia the rights of persons with disabilities are regulated by international and national legislation  UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities  European Disabilities Strategy  European action plan – Equal opportunities for peoples with disabilities 2

 National legislation  Constitution Act of the Republic of Croatia  National Strategy for Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities from  Labor Act  Anti-Discrimination Act  Pension Insurance Act  Act on Vocational Rehabilitation 3

 National strategy of Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities from 2007 until the republic of Croatia expressed its commitment to implement the active policy of human rights, which arises from the adoption of international key documents as well as contemporary standards in this field 4

 Vocational rehabilitation aims to promote employment of people with health issues.  It is deemed to be one potential way to enable people with disabilities to work and thus increase the overall employment level.  Return to work is usually the main outcome measure of vocational rehabilitation. 5

 Vocational rehabilitation is a group of activities (practical acquisition and application of knowledge, skills and routines) aimed at rehabilitating a disabled worker to work, thereby preserving his or her residual work capacity. 6

PROFESSIONAL REHABILITATION WITHIN PENSION INSURANCE 7

PROTECTION OF THE REMAINING CAPACITY FOR WORK  risk of disability  contraindications  allocating appropriate job according to article 78 of the Labor Act  In the Pension Insurance Act there is no explicit definition of professional rehabilitation but it is defined through reduced work capacity 8

DISABILITY  a reduced work capacity occurs in the an insuree’s work capacity, due to permanent changes in his or her health that cannot be cured, is reduced for more than one half compared to a healthy person of the same or similar education  residual work capacity of an insuree exists in case there is a reduced work capacity however, according to his or her health condition, age, education and capabilities, such insuree can be professionally rehabilitated to perform other full time jobs.  permanent disability to work – permanent loss of the ability for work due to changes in health which cannot be cured 9

EXPERT OPINION  review of medical records  examination of the insured person  review of the job specification  identifying contraindications and evaluation of the capacity for work 10

OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION – Articles of the Pension Insurance Act  in case of non-occupational injury or disease, a minimum length of Pension Insurance is required  in case of injury at work place or occupational disease, the insured person is entitled the right regardless of the length of Pension Insurance  the Pension Insurance Institute covers education and accommodation costs 11

THE RIGHT IS ENTITLED TO  insured person below age 53 if capable to qualify for another full-time job  person employed 12

SALARY COMPENSATION  From the first day of disability until the day professional rehabilitation begins  Salary compensation during professional rehabilitation  Salary compensation from day professional rehabilitation ended until employment in an adequate job 13

OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION  FORMAL EDUCATION  acquiring professional education at verified institutions  NON-FORMAL EDUCATION  work place adjustment  in-service training with supervisor 14

EXPERT TEAM  based on expert opinion  occupational medicine specialist pedagogue/ andragogue psychologist social worker 15

EXPERT TEAM  work place analysis  professional assistance to the employer considering allocation to other appropriate jobs 16

EXPERT TEAM determines  the possibility of re-training and in-service training considering the MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATIONS  the possibilities based on PROFESSIONAL TRAINING  the possibilities based on the EMPLOYER'S REQUIREMENTS  PERSONAL ABILITIES of the insured person 17

 an important step for disabled person in the training for independent life and work, taking into consideration health condition and remaining capacity for work  It is deemed to be one potential way to enable people with disabilities to work and thus increase the overall employment level.  Return to work is usually the main outcome measure of vocational rehabilitation. 18 REHABILITATION

DIFFICULTIES  low level of motivation  uncertainty of employment  inadequate choice of possible occupations  work contract can be cancelled by the employer  lack of social action to integrate these people in the work process  rehabilitation of unemployed persons 19

 long-term treatment contributes to the loss of work habits  a pause in the course of education is discouraging  fear from failure  those having completed re-training lose their jobs and encounter many obstacles on finding new jobs  rent tendencies 20 DIFFICULTIES

21 Sign in at INFORMATION DESK Groupindividual informing > Rights and obligations > CES and other institution services Individual counselling > Identification of people with employment problems Group counselling > improvement of career and management skills Expert team for professional guidance > assessment (remaining) work and general abilities Casuistical session >employment counselor > Expert team for professional guidance Plan design and registration of unemployed person > referral to professional rehabilitation, education etc. CROATIAN EMPLOYMENT SERVICE

 Croatian Employment Service has participated in the activities within IPA project Component IV.  Giving equal employment opportunities to people with disabilities  The Croatian Employment Service carries out vocational rehabilitation of the disabled persons who are unable to exercise this right in another way, thereby creating equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities 22

NEW ACT ON VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION  New definition of disability  Unique assessment body  Uniform list of impairments  International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF, WHO 2001)  Assessment of needs and work ability  Assessment – training - placement 23

NEW ACT ON VOCATIONALREHABILITATION  Services payer: -Croatian Pension Insurance Institute -Croatian Health Insurance Institute -Ministry of Social Affairs -Insurance companies 24

NEW ACT ON VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION  Quota – employers with more than 20 employees have obligation to employ 2- 6% of disabled person  Benefits and privileges 25

 Professional Rehabilitation Centers  Sheltered workshops  Integrative workshops  Employment in the Labor Market and self employment  Entitled to a survivor΄s pension NEW ACT ON VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION 26

We believe that new Act of Vocational Rehabilitation will enable disabled persons to increase work performance and provide greater work efficiency at all levels with equal opportunities Thus we will also improve their quality of life CONCLUSION 27

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