Municipal practice in the industrial injuries area

This report presents the findings of a qualitative study on how selected job centres manage industrial injuries cases. The report describes the practices at four selected job centres regarding industrial injuries cases, including the challenges arising in connection with such cases and their management. The report was drawn up to serve as inspiration for the expert committee on modernisation of the industrial injuries system; a committee set up by the Danish Government in autumn 2013. The report may also inspire the job centres in their organisation of sickness benefits and the more complex industrial injuries area. The study contributes with the following insights to inspire the sickness benefit procedures at job centres:
- Municipal retention consultants can contribute to early involvement of employers
- A specialisation strategy may be an advantage in regulatory complex areas
- There may be advantages to reap from including in sickness benefit cases the specialised knowledge on work-related health problems held by occupational-health clinics.
- People’s uncertainty about providing for themselves in the future may result in less motivation in relation to the offers by job centres of e.g. work trials and employability enhancement.
The study was commissioned and financed by the Ministry of Employment.