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Work-related rehabilitation

The purpose of occupational rehabilitation is to prepare those with health issues or a long-term certificate of incapacity for work to join or return to the workplace and to support their attempts at finding or remaining in work.

If a person is facing several health-related obstacles to finding or retaining a job and thus needs the help of various specialists (i.e. a rehabilitation team), the Unemployment Insurance Fund can offer occupational rehabilitation services.

A health-related obstacle is one for which a person is determined to have a disability as per the definition of the Social Benefits for Disabled Persons Act or where they have been granted the status of continuous incapacity for work as per the definition of the State Pension Insurance Act, including cases where their designated disability category is considered equivalent to continuous incapacity for work as per the State Allowances Act, or if they have partial or complete incapacity for work as per the Work Ability Allowance Act.

An employee with a long-term certificate of incapacity for work is someone who has been issued with a certificate of sick leave which permits them to keep working during the period of validity of the certificate under § 124 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

A rehabilitation team can help both unemployed and employed people. Over the course of the service, the factors hampering a person’s work or studies are identified, their effects are reduced, support is given for maintaining or increasing capacity to work, recommendations are made regarding suitable duties, working conditions and working environment and the person’s skills are developed so as to boost their employment prospects or help them keep their job.

When working with an unemployed person, the rehabilitation team helps them find a suitable field of work and adjust to working life. In the case of people who are returning to work or who are already employed, the rehabilitation team can assess the working environment, advise the person’s employer on how to better organise their work or even adapt the working environment to the person’s needs. Additionally, rehabilitation specialists can support a person’s motivation and increase their confidence in learning how to cope with a disability or illness on a day-to-day basis in the working environment.

When providing occupational rehabilitation services to a person who is studying, the focus is on supporting their studies and making preparations for working life in order to ensure a smooth transition from the education system to the job market.

Although the rehabilitation team consists of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and others, it is not a healthcare service. Anyone seeking mental health assistance and physical rehabilitation should consult their GP or another healthcare provider.

Physiotherapy services in connection with occupational rehabilitation do not include passive activities such as massages, baths, salt chambers or cryotherapy. Services provided by doctors or nurses in the course of occupational rehabilitation are advisory in nature and do not include treatment-related activities such as diagnosis, creating a treatment plan, issuing prescriptions, carrying out medical procedures or issuing referrals for specialists or examinations.

We offer these services to:

  • people with health-related obstacles who:
    • have registered as unemployed (excl. those with incapacity for work);
    • are currently employed (incl. those with incapacity for work); or
    • are enrolled in basic, secondary, vocational or higher education (excl. students with incapacity for work); and
  • employees with long-term certificates of incapacity for work, starting from the 61st day after the certificate is issued.

The service is not provided to anyone who is younger than 16, has reached retirement age or receives an early old-age pension or a rescue workers allowance or is provided with a social rehabilitation service under the Social Welfare Act.

People with incapacity for work can choose between social and occupational rehabilitation.

If you are currently working and feel that you need support to continue doing so due to your health, contact the Unemployment Insurance Fund office of your choice and schedule a meeting with an advisor to evaluate your need for occupational rehabilitation. You can find the fund’s contact details here.

If you are unemployed and need support in finding work, discuss this with your case manager.

If the need for the service is confirmed and your advisor assigns you to it, you will get to choose the most suitable service provider for you from among our partners.

Providers of work-related rehabilitation service

The service generally lasts up to a year. The Unemployment Insurance Fund determines whether to refer a person to the service based on their needs and the purpose of the service.

When you take part in an occupational rehabilitation service, you are granted a travel and accommodation allowance.

Click on the window below to watch a video introducing the service.

The service is co-financed by the European Union.