Abstract
A growing share of the economically active population is reported to be temporarily unable to work or to have reduced work ability as a result of chronic diseases, which require special forms of rehabilitation, monitoring and treatment. Many implications exist for these people in terms of income, job opportunities, career and social inclusion, with the economic impact that chronic diseases have on national health and welfare systems which is still given little attention. This problem is further compounded by higher life expectancy and the upward adjustment of the age criteria to enter retirement. Yet it is a fact that people’s increased longevity leads to either higher demands in terms of social and health services or to higher costs resulting from increased life expectancy. Further, public budgetary constraints and the consequent strengthening of the subjective and the objective criteria to enter retirement and access social assistance often oblige people to stay on longer at work and thus to put up with physical and psychological issues, which in turn result in reduced ability to work and higher rates of absenteeism. Following on from these considerations, this paper will provide an examination of the following aspects through a comparative perspective: the shortcomings of the solutions put forward by labour law and social protection systems; the significance of shifting from disability allowances and passive policies to activation policies and initiatives concerning employability, adaptability and retention; the prevention of chronic diseases at the workplace level; the industrial relations perspective and the review of concepts like “presence at work”, “working task”, “full compliance with one’s duties”.