Active Labour Market Policies for Individuals with Health Restrictions. Evaluation for Upper Austria

Based on the innovative approach of combining health and employment related data from the Austrian Social Security database, the Austrian unemployment register and the Upper Austrian Regional Health Insurance organisation, this study provides an assessment of the prevalence and characteristics of health restrictions that pose an obstacle to employment in the labour force. Moreover, it analyses the implementation and effectiveness of active labour market policies for unemployed individuals with such health problems. Compared to the employed, unemployed job-seekers are far more frequently affected by labour-market-relevant health problems, in particular musculoskeletal disorders and mental illness. All of the evaluated measures stimulate the labour force participation of the participants. Not support of active job-seeking and orientation measures, but skills training (courses provided by external educational providers and benefits to cover course costs), employment measures and support through external labour market policy advisory and support facilities (BBE) result in a significant increase in unsubsidised dependent employment, even if in part with a considerable delay.