Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Sweden (Ratification: 1984)

The Committee notes the observations of the Swedish Confederation for Professional Employees (TCO) and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) received in November 2014.

Promotion of vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Government provides in its report a summary of the major changes to the duties of the Swedish Public Employment Service in vocational rehabilitation during the period from July 2009 to June 2014. In their observations, the TCO and the LO refer to Articles 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Convention and indicate that there is no clear incentive in Swedish legislation for employers to take responsibility for preventive measures or work adaptation and rehabilitation. Moreover, the TCO and the LO are both of the view that, to enable more people with impaired work capacity due to disability to participate in working life according to their capacity, including returning to work after their illness or injury, more measures are needed on the part of the Government, with greater requirements for the employer and government agencies concerned. In addition, the TCO believes that employers also need more support from the Government to take on their responsibilities. The Committee refers to its comments on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), where it noted that the employment rate among persons with disabilities and a reduced capacity to work has increased from 50 per cent in 2008 to 55 per cent in 2014. However, the gap in employment and unemployment rates between persons with disabilities and others remains. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the impact and effectiveness of the measures implemented in the context of its policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities.