Purpose: This scoping review identifies the foci of research articles that address government laws, policies and programs designed to foster labour market integration of people who, due to illness or disability, face challenges entering or staying in the workforce. Method: A systematic search of English-language peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2014 yielded 14,474 articles. Title and abstract review identified 723 included articles that addressed government-led programs, policy or legislation on work integration and/or income support after injury, illness or impairment. These were sorted by theme, work disability program or policy, disability type, jurisdiction and year published. Results: The number of articles published that address work disability laws, policies and programs increased steadily. Most articles addressed disability in general. Among articles with a specific health focus, mental health was the most common. Research gaps are identified for mixed method study designs, chronic and episodic conditions, illness and cancer, and for work disability policy studies outside of North America, Northern Europe and Australia. Conclusions: We find a growing number of published articles about work disability and policy and identify specific areas where is a need for further research.

The guidelines published by the International Social Security Association, ISSA Guidelines: Return to Work and Reintegration, provide a policy imperative towards early intervention for people with nonoccupational health conditions at risk of exiting the workforce and moving to disability dependency. Socioeconomic and fiscal imperatives have been demonstrated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) review on sickness, disability and work (OECD, 2010), and by an accumulating evidence base for effectiveness. This study explored how social protection agencies are responding in terms of employment rehabilitation services for employed people with acquired disabilities. Specifically, this study reviewed job retention and return processes for workers with nonoccupational health conditions from the perspective of the ISSA guidelines in four jurisdictions with differing system frameworks. The methods used included a review of relevant literature and web resources and gathering detailed system descriptions from national respondents. Although the jurisdictions differed in the concepts used, service context, the structure of welfare systems and eligibility criteria, there was evidence of an acknowledgement of the needs of employed people with disabilities. This was not, however, consistently reflected in procedures, processes or outcome measurements. While some promising characteristics were identified, there was substantial room for improvement in the job retention and return to work strategies of the relevant agencies in all four jurisdictions. It was concluded that the deployment of the ISSA Guidelines: Return to Work and Reintegration, published in 2013, had yet to make a substantial impact on services and approaches in the domain of nonoccupational health conditions in these jurisdictions.

A Canadian sample was collected as an aspect of a large international project, with representation from Australia, Canada, China, and Switzerland. In each country, interview and survey data were collected using team-created research tools. Canadian survey data on disability management (DM) perceptions were collected from 218 employees in both public and private organisations. Our Canadian employee sample reported perceived influence of disability prevention on job satisfaction, physical health, mental health, and morale for both themselves and their coworkers. Return to work programs were seen as valuable for job satisfaction of both the employee and coworkers, as well as the physical health of coworkers. Similarly, stay at work programs were seen as valuable for mental health and morale of coworkers. There was no relationship between perceived influence of DM interventions and reduction of sickness absence. The influence of DM was perceived as more positive for private and/or nonunionised workplaces. No gender differences were evident.

An aged and shrinking workforce represents one of the major challenges for companies in the next decades. Capitalising on and developing older workers’ potential will therefore be key for organisational success. Research shows, however, that older workers in companies are less likely to receive training than their younger colleagues and that knowledge transfer before retirement frequently fails. Based on these findings, we used a mixed-methods approach to investigate older workers’ motivation to participate in advanced training and knowledge transfer. Older workers in a first, quantitative study (N = 176) reported being significantly less likely to participate in training and having fewer promotion opportunities. Contrary to our expectations, middle-aged workers already showed this decline in training opportunities, which may suggest that leaving workers behind because of their age is a larger problem than previously assumed. To investigate the subjective reasons for this lack of training, we conducted problem-centered interviews with older workers (age > 50; N = 15). Qualitative content analyses identified valuation, immediate job relevance, and setting work goals until retirement as key motivators to participate in continued employee training. Moreover, older workers confirmed our quantitative finding that even middle-aged workers lack training. We discuss how companies can promote older workers’ inclusion in formal and informal training to improve working conditions and retain knowledge.

Purpose: This article focuses on occupation and employment after basic vocational training for people with cognitive disabilities. The aim is to reveal supporting and hindering factors of different forms of workplace integration as perceived by those with disabilities. Method: Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used, consisting of an easy-to-read questionnaire completed by 412 graduates of practical vocational training, and in-depth interviews with 27 graduates. Results: The key findings show that workplace integration of people with disabilities takes place through a combination of various factors and materialises in different ways in terms of workplace, employment status, activity and further perspectives. Our findings suggest that supporting and accompanying people with disabilities in their work activities should always take into account both their desire for self-determination and their dependence on structural conditions.