Impact of Employment-Oriented Interventions for People on Sick Leave

Long-term absence from work due to sickness can have serious consequences for the people involved in the form of e.g. reduced quality of life, reduced income and risk of early retirement from the labour market. Sickness absence also has serious consequences for society, because it reduces the labour force and increases society's expenditure on transfer incomes.
The purpose of this report is to describe the most important results of Danish and international surveys of the employment effect of employment-oriented interventions aimed at people on sick leave.
The report is based on a review of scientific quantitative studies between 2001 and 2011. The literature review summerises knowledge about the impact of interventions at workplaces, including reduced working hours, interventions in the health system, as well as interventions in the employment-policy system.
Furthermore, the report reviews studies on the impact of cross-cutting interventions and cooperation, early intervention, interviews and the importance of self motivation for people on sick leave.
The survey has been commissioned by the National Labour Market Authority.