Activating
the Sick-Listed
Policy and Practice of Return to Work in Swedish Sickness Insurance
and Working Life
Ida Seing
Linköping University Medical Dissertations No. 1421
Linköping University Medical dissertation No. 1421 Linköpings universitet
581 83 Linköping www.liu.se
Swedish sickness insurance has undergone several changes in recent years.
In 2008, the government introduced the so-called “rehabilitation chain”
in order to standardize the sick-leave process and facilitate early return to work. The reform consisted of stricter activation principles in terms of fixed time limits and an end point for entitlement to sickness benefits. This thesis takes a closer look at these policy changes in local practice by analysing how they are received, implemented and experienced by welfare state actors, employers and sick-listed workers. The studies identify strong organizational boundaries in the implementation process of activation policies, showing that organizations appear to be governed by their own organizational logics and interests. Overall, this thesis illustrates an emerging social climate where sick-listed individuals are positioned as active agents who must take responsibility for their sick leave and their return to work. In a Swedish context, return to work is a matter of activating the sick-listed rather than activating the workplace.
Id a S ein g Ac tiv ati ng the S ick -L ist ed
2014Ida Seing is a researcher at the National Centre for Work and Rehabilitation, Linköping University. Her research interests lie in social and labour market policy and working life issues. This is her doctoral thesis.
Activating
the Sick-Listed
Policy and Practice of Return to Work in Swedish Sickness Insurance
and Working Life
Ida Seing
Linköping University Medical Dissertations No. 1421
Linköping University Medical dissertation No. 1421 Linköpings universitet
581 83 Linköping www.liu.se
Swedish sickness insurance has undergone several changes in recent years.
In 2008, the government introduced the so-called “rehabilitation chain”
in order to standardize the sick-leave process and facilitate early return to work. The reform consisted of stricter activation principles in terms of fixed time limits and an end point for entitlement to sickness benefits. This thesis takes a closer look at these policy changes in local practice by analysing how they are received, implemented and experienced by welfare state actors, employers and sick-listed workers. The studies identify strong organizational boundaries in the implementation process of activation policies, showing that organizations appear to be governed by their own organizational logics and interests. Overall, this thesis illustrates an emerging social climate where sick-listed individuals are positioned as active agents who must take responsibility for their sick leave and their return to work. In a Swedish context, return to work is a matter of activating the sick-listed rather than activating the workplace.
Id a S ein g Ac tiv ati ng the S ick -L ist ed
2014Ida Seing is a researcher at the National Centre for Work and Rehabilitation, Linköping University. Her research interests lie in social and labour market policy and working life issues. This is her doctoral thesis.
