The OECD proposes that the government take actions to reduce the number of long-term benefit claims and to bring down the high level of sickness absences.
The report finds that since 1995, short-term sickness absences increased by 15 percent and, more worryingly, long-term absence increased by almost half. Inflow rates into disability benefits are very high in international comparison, at around one percent of the population annually. Forty-seven percent of all new recipients of disability benefits are aged 55-64.
The OECD says Finland’s highly developed occupational health care system combined with a policy of linking employers’ premiums to employee disability pensions have, however, helped reduce employee absences.
The report, which evaluates social benefits and labour policies in 13 member states, was published in London on Thursday.
