Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Finland (Ratification: 1985)

The Committee notes the observations made by the Federation of Finnish Enterprises (SY), the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK) and the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals in Finland (AKAVA), transmitted together with the Government’s report.

Articles 3 and 7 of the Convention. Promotion of vocational rehabilitation and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the Act on the Rehabilitation Benefits and Rehabilitation Allowance Benefits of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (1097/2018) was amended in January 2019. The amendment introduced a new section 7a to the Act on the organization of vocational rehabilitation for young adults. Under the new provision, insured persons between the ages of 16 and 29 are entitled to vocational rehabilitation if their functional capacity is materially impaired and rehabilitation is appropriate to support or promote their functional capacity and life management skills, as well as their ability to study or to secure employment. The Government adds that the Social Insurance Institution shall arrange vocational rehabilitation services for young adults that determine and assess their needs for rehabilitation, rehabilitation opportunities, study and employment opportunities, together with coaching services (subsection 4 of section 7a). Young adults no longer need to submit forms or medical certificates at the stage of applying for rehabilitation and are more actively guided to Social Insurance Institution rehabilitation through their own networks, such as the Ohjaamo One-Stop Guidance Centres and Outreach youth work. The Government indicates that the number of unemployed people with disabilities and long-term illnesses declined until the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in April 2020 and that the negative effects of the pandemic on unemployment were significantly less pronounced for these persons. The Committee notes that various measures have been taken and new projects, such as the Work Ability Programme and the “Career opportunities for people with partial work ability” (OTE) have been carried out to improve the labour market opportunities of persons with partial work ability. The Committee notes that, during the OTE project (2015–2018), the number of unemployed persons with partial work ability decreased by 30.2 per cent and persons with partial work ability found employment mostly in the open labour market and in all sectors. The Government indicates that, following the OTE key project, there were 12,000 fewer unemployed jobseekers with partial work ability than at the start of the project, which generated direct savings of €100 million per year, as unemployment costs were reduced. The Committee notes that, from 2015 to 2020, the unemployment rate of persons with disabilities and long-term illnesses declined from 52,654 to 46,799, respectively. The Government also refers to the IPS–Sijoita ja valmenna! project (Individual Placement and Support project), which was launched in different parts of Finland in early 2021 to ensure that services supporting work ability are equally available and accessible to persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that the Government plans to extend the IPS–Sijoita ja valmenna! operating model to a total of six hospital districts to support people with mental health disorders on an equal basis to assist them in entering, returning and remaining in the labour market. It further plans to increase the number of work ability coordinators in the Employment and Economic Development Offices (TE Offices) to support people with an impaired ability for work. With regard to people with partial work ability, the Government indicates that a Special Task Company (Välittäjä Oy) has been established to advance the employment of people with partial work ability who occupy a weak position in the labour market. The Välittäjä Oy offers a supported job, as well as the training and other support needed to enable people with partial work ability to secure employment in the open labour market. The Government also refers to subsection 3 of section 7 of the Act on the Rehabilitation Benefits and Rehabilitation Allowance Benefits of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (566/2005), which governs a business subsidy for vocational rehabilitation. In this regard, the SY observes that wage subsidies for promoting the employment of persons with disabilities should not be used as a permanent solution for employing disadvantaged groups. In addition, the EK observes that the use of wage subsidies for the employment of people with disabilities is justified; however, it considers that wage subsidies must not be used in a way that distorts competition and must be limited to measures that support the employment of persons with disabilities who are facing the most severe employment-related difficulties. The SAK, the STTK and the AKAVA observe that employers’ attitudes towards the employment of people with partial work ability have become more positive. They further observe that the 2021 report of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment emphasizes that employers require more information and support in relation to the recruitment of people with partial work ability and in planning the modifications these persons may require for work purposes. They also observe that vocational rehabilitation for persons already in employment must begin at a sufficiently early stage while the employee is still able to work. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing detailed and up-to-date information, including statistics disaggregated by sex, age and occupation relating to the impact of the measures adopted to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the open labour market. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which the organizations of workers and employers, as well as representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities, are consulted with regard to the implementation, monitoring and review of the vocational rehabilitation and employment policy for persons with disabilities.