MEPs are pressing for action to get people back to work after a long term absence as a result of sickness, a growing problem because of an ageing workforce and new occupational health risks.
 
They note that long-term absence often leads to unemployment and to workers leaving the labour market permanently.
 
In a report that will be put to the plenary this month, MEPs said that more needs to be done to facilitate their return and to better include chronically sick and disabled people in the workforce.

Due to Europe’s ageing workforce and increasing retirement age, the risk of developing health disorders has become higher.

According to Eurostat figures, 32.5% of the EU’s population reported having a long-standing illness or health problem. In addition, 25% of workers said they experience work-related stress, while nearly 80% of managers said it was a major health concern.

“We need to make our labour markets more inclusive and responsive to the needs of ageing and ailing society and less prone to the loss of skills a result of inactivity,” said report author Jana Žitňanská, a Slovakian member of the ECR group.

The report focuses on a better transition from sick leave to work. It also looks at the benefits of reintegrating experienced workers, who have been absent for some time, as well as the introduction of new staff who need training, noting that this applies to the public sector as well as to companies.

Once someone who has been on long-term sick leave is ready to come back to work, the report proposes a number of steps to ease the process including coaching, access to a psychologist or therapist; flexible working conditions, such as part time work or teleworking; as well as the possibility of learning new skills.

The draft report was unanimously adopted by the employment committee in June.
 
In it, Employment and Social Affairs Committee MEPs adopted a set of measures they believe the European Commission and member states should work on in order to retain and reintegrate workers into the workplace who suffer from various chronic conditions or injuries and foster active aging.
 MEPs stress that reintegrating workers into quality employment, as well as enabling them to stay active until retirement age and beyond if they so wish, is beneficial for their psychosocial wellbeing, and helps to retain skills that would otherwise be lost. They also highlight the economic benefits, such as reducing costs for companies and making pensions and social security systems more sustainable for future generations.
 In the text, Employment Committee MEPs propose to:
 

  • improve how absences due to sickness are managed in member states;
  • make workplaces more adaptable to chronic conditions and disabilities by modifying tasks, equipment and working time (teleworking, flexitime, reduced working hours);
  • make workplaces more adaptable through life-long learning and skills development programmes (including digital skills);
  • raise awareness and address potential psychological barriers to return to work, such as work-related stress or mental health stigma;
  • develop and implement a programme for systematic monitoring and support for workers affected by psychosocial risks, such as depression or burnout;
  • use evidence-based policy as a standard practice and to form the basis of return-to-work approaches;
  • provide external technical support and guidance for SMEs and micro-enterprises with limited experience in occupational rehabilitation and return-to- work measures;
  • beef up the case management approach in reintegration programmes with individually designed and integrated support from social workers or designated counsellors to keep in contact with workers during their absence;
  • develop information-sharing platforms to update companies and concerned persons about existing incentives and their rights.