Austria 2025 – Health and Employability. Status-quo, International Experiences and Reform Perspectives

Health is an important determinant of labour force participation. This report contributes to the development of a strategy for the prevention of disability and promotion of employability. Such a strategy should rest on three pillars: prevention and medical treatment, social protection in case of illness and disability, and activation and reintegration in the labour market after illness. The first part of the report provides evidence on the extent and distribution of disability and health problems in the Austrian labour force. The second part gives an overview of the international measures and strategies that have been implemented in the past two decades in a selection of European countries. The third part describes the current setup of the Austrian system, with particular attention to recent reforms. The final part of the report builds on the results of the previous analyses in order to identify reform needs and to provide recommendations for adapting the Austrian system.