Activities of Georges BACH related to 2017/2277(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on pathways for the reintegration of workers recovering from injury and illness into quality employment PDF (440 KB) DOC (69 KB)
Amendments (26)
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 25 November 2015 on the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-20201a, __________________ 1a P8_TA(2015)0411
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the proportion of older workers in the total working-age population is rapidly increasing and is expected to reach 21 % in 2020; whereas the ageing increases the risk of chronic mental and physical health disorders, illnesses and problemsof the European workforce leads to an increase in the retirement age in many Member States and many workers are likely to face longer working lives; whereas ageing is accompanied by a higher risk of developing chronic mental and physical health disorders, illnesses and problems, which make prevention, reintegration and rehabilitation important policies to keep workplaces as well as pension and social security systems sustainable;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the right to working conditions which respect the health, safety and dignity of every worker is enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas people with disabilities, chronic diseases or recovering from injury or illness are in a vulnerable situation and should benefit from individualised support in returning to their place of work or the labour market;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Underlines the importance of campaigns promoting prevention and health and safety at work measures, such as the “Vision Zero” campaign which is supported by the EU-OSHA as well as companies and organisations from various EU Member States;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Believes that return-to-work policies should be inscribed in a broader holistic approach of healthy working lives with a physically and mentally safe and healthy working environment throughout people’s working life to allow active and healthy ageing for all workers; considers that preventing occupational diseases and accidents creates added value for workers and society as a whole, with sustainable social security systems;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the recent launch by the EU-OSHA of a new section on its website dedicated to work-related diseases, focusing on musculoskeletal problems, stress and mental health problems, work- related cancers, skin infections and diseases linked to biological agents as well as a chapter on rehabilitation and return to work with the aim to provide information about prevention, policies and practices;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes the view that implementing measures for psychosocial risk prevention in a systematic way should be a crucial feature of modern workplaces; calls on the Member States to provide support to businesses in managing these risks; notes that legislation and recognition of mental health and psychosocial risks, such as stress, burnout and mobbing vary among Member States;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that work-related stress in particular, and psychosocial risks in general, are a growing problem for employees and employers across the EU; calls on Member States to take into account the rise of psychosocial risks and their consequences on the health of workers when developing new OSH policies, strategies and programmes;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Recognises that people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, like all other individuals, retain the fundamental right to work; further recognises that people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness must deal with complex legal situations regarding their health, social care and employment rights that is distinct from challenges facing other patient groups, as they often have little time to adapt to their changing conditions and for any workplace adjustments to be made; notes with concern the cases of the unfair dismissal of terminally ill employees as highlighted by the Dying to Work campaign; calls upon the Commission and the Member States to introduce additional employment protections for terminally ill people, for example through providing such employees with a “protected” employment status under EU law, similar to that which is contained within the Pregnant Workers Directive (92/85/EEC);
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recognises that the integration of long-term unemployed individuals into employment through individually tailored measures is a key factor for fighting poverty and social exclusion and also has other preventative psychosocial benefits; stresses that integrating persons returning to work after mental or physical illness has a double effect: benefiting the individual as well as supporting the economy;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Takes the view that accessible and safe jobs should be available for people affected by terminal illnesses, chronic and long-term conditions and disability; urges the Member States to focus on retention and integration of people affected by chronic diseases as well as to support reasonable adaptation of workplaces, which will ensure a timely return to work; calls on the Commission to promote integration and rehabilitation measures for people with disabilities and to support Member States’ efforts by raising awareness and identifying and sharing good practices on accommodations and adjustments in the workplace; urges Eurofound to further examine and analyse the employment opportunities and the degree of employability of people with chronic diseases;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to design appropriate policies to address the ageing of the workforce; believes that sustainable working lives and healthy ageing should be promoted at European, national and company level; emphasises the role of the social partners in this context; calls on the Member States to promote rehabilitation and reintegration measures for older workers, for instance by implementing the results of the EU pilot project on the health and safety of older workers;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Stresses that successful back-to- work strategies and policies can be an important way of lifting pressure off pension and social security systems and make them more sustainable for future generations;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Takes the view that both the Member States and employers should take a positive and work- oriented approach to workers with disabilities, older workers and those who have suffered an illness, mental or physical illness, including those diagnosed with a terminal illness focusing on early evaluation of the individual’s remaining capabilitiescity and willingness to work and the adaptation of the workplace, taking into account the person’s occupational profile and socio-economic situation; encourages Member States to improve provisions in their social security systems that would favour the system of return to work;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop and provide guidelines on best practices and coaching to employers on how to develop and implement reintegration plans; calls on Member States as well as all professional communities, services and policy-makers involved, to exchange best practices on existing rehabilitation and return to work policies, strategies and programmes;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Takes note of the success of the case-management approach of various programmes enabling workers to return to work and stresses the need for individualised support from social workers or designated counsellors tailored to the individual’s situation; believes that it is important for companies to keep in close contact with workers during their absence due to illness or injury;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses the key importance of communication and a multidisciplinary and cooperative approach between all stakeholders (workers, medical doctors, social services, employ and social partners) for the successful physical and occupational rehabilitation of workers; believes that the workplace should be the central point of focus of return-to-work systems; lauds the success of the non-bureaucratic and practical approach of the Austrian fit2work programme with its emphasis on easy communication accessible to all workers (such as the use of simplified language);
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on Member States to introduce policy frameworks including incentives for employers and active labour market policies to support the employment of persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses, including those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness including the breaking down of barriers in the workplace;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on Member States to introduce policy frameworks including incentives for employers and active labour market policies to support the employment of persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses, including the breaking down of barriers in the workplace; recalls that it is essential to inform companies and concerned persons about existing incentives and rights;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Notes the increased number of workers affected by chronic illness in the workforce, including many of the tens of thousands of Europeans that are currently living with metastatic cancer; is of the opinion that jobs should be available for people affected by terminal illnesses such as metastatic cancer; is of the opinion that, for many, remaining in the workplace is a personal or economic imperative and is central to a patients quality of life and care; urges the Member States to support the reasonable adaptation of workplaces to the unique set of challenges facing this group of people by taking concrete steps to understand the scope of the problem and by raising awareness and identifying and sharing good practices on accommodations and adjustments in the general conditions for those who are terminally ill in the workplace;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recognises in this regard that flexible working arrangements, such as telework, flexitime and reduced working hours, play an important role in returning to work; stresses the importance of encouraging early or gradual return to work (if medical conditions allow) through flexible working arrangements and reduced working time arrangements, which could be accompanied by partial sickness benefit;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure in their communications, guidelines and policies that employers see the reintegration process as an opportunity to recover workers’ skills, competences and experience; takes the view that employers are full participants in the return-to-work process from the start and are part of the decision-making process; stresses that workers’ representatives should be equally involved;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses that raising awareness of occupational rehabilitation and return-to- work policies and improved company culture are critical success factors in the return-to-work process and fighting negative attitudes, particularly with regard to those people with mental health issues, a disability or a terminal illness;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Takes note that we need to address the general conditions of metastatic cancer patients in the workplace, but yet we do not understand the dimensions of the problem; regrets that the ENCR, which forms the basis for the recently- launched European Cancer Information System, does not include data on metastatic cancer; regrets the fact that the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work´s (EU OSHA)extensive project on the rehabilitation and return to work of cancer patients has not yet provided any specific analysis of the situation facing metastatic cancer patients in the workplace; calls on the Commission to tackle the lack of data on the employment status of people with metastatic cancer and to support the collection of better data, that is comparable across Member States, in order to improve policy design and service provision for this group of people;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Takes the view that national and EU-wide campaigns such as the Dying to Work campaign around combatting discrimination facing terminally ill workers also play an important role in shifting popular opinion;