No. 26

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On Incapacity for Work in the Context of the Planned Insurance against Incapacity for Work

19 December 2012

Politics

RiTo No. 26, 2012

Creating insurance against incapacity for work that would be favourable for workers with health problems, rational from the point of view of using the means of social insurance and acceptable to employers is a real challenge for Estonian policy shapers.

On the basis of examples from other countries, it is possible to presume in the opinion of the authors that there are several functioning combinations of choices. At the same time, superficial copying of the practices of other countries may force society in the years to come to pick the bitter fruits. Strict procedure for allowing benefits that is not accompanied by timely supporting of persons with health problems with appropriate means may result in making some of those in need of help to fall through the social insurance network. Forceful increasing of the employer’s responsibility may cause unfounded fears in those who choose personnel and bring along discrimination of older people and workers suffering from chronic diseases on the labour market. Taking all this into account, the planned insurance against incapacity for work requires making compromises. In order to find a solution acceptable to all parties, it is expected that the discussion for shaping the foundations of the system would begin before the legislators receive a concrete package of draft documents.

Full article in Estonian

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