Preparation for the Evaluation

2020 ◽  
pp. 103-128
Author(s):  
David M. Corey ◽  
Mark Zelig
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Third Parties ◽  
Fitness Evaluation

In this chapter, the authors review three categories of information psychologists need to obtain before conducting suitability and fitness evaluation: (1) the employer’s foundation for the referral (i.e., whether the employer has demonstrated the legal threshold for mandating the evaluation), (2) the relevant job demands and working conditions of the examinee’s position, and (3) the criterion standard for determining whether the examinee is psychologically suitable or fit for duty. The chapter includes guidance for gathering this necessary information and how to use it to optimize the quality and utility of the evaluation. Also addressed are two other issues that have implications for the evaluation and must be determined in advance: the examinee’s access to the report and records, and the presence of third parties during the evaluation.

scholarly journals Changes in autonomy, job demands and working hours after diagnosis of chronic disease: a comparison of employed and self-employed older persons using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 951-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fleischmann ◽  
Ewan Carr ◽  
Baowen Xue ◽  
Paola Zaninotto ◽  
Stephen A Stansfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
The Self ◽  
English Longitudinal Study ◽  
Physical Job Demands

BackgroundModifications in working conditions can accommodate changing needs of chronically ill persons. The self-employed may have more possibilities than employees to modify their working conditions. We investigate how working conditions change following diagnosis of chronic disease for employed and self-employed older persons.MethodsWe used waves 2–7 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We included 1389 participants aged 50–60 years who reported no chronic disease at baseline. Using fixed-effects linear regression analysis, we investigated how autonomy, physical and psychosocial job demands and working hours changed following diagnosis of chronic disease.ResultsFor employees, on diagnosis of chronic disease autonomy marginally decreased (−0.10, 95% CI −0.20 to 0.00) and physical job demands significantly increased (0.13, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.25), whereas for the self-employed autonomy did not significantly change and physical job demands decreased on diagnosis of chronic disease (−0.36, 95% CI −0.64 to –0.07), compared with prediagnosis levels. Psychosocial job demands did not change on diagnosis of chronic disease for employees or the self-employed. Working hours did not change for employees, but dropped for self-employed (although non-significantly) by about 2.8 hours on diagnosis of chronic disease (−2.78, 95% CI −6.03 to 0.48).ConclusionImprovements in working conditions after diagnosis of chronic disease were restricted to the self-employed. This could suggest that workplace adjustments are necessary after diagnosis of chronic disease, but that the self-employed are more likely to realise these. Policy seeking to extend working life should consider work(place) adjustments for chronically ill workers as a means to prevent early exit from work.

scholarly journals Working Conditions and Health of Leaders in Three Service Sectors

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-118
Author(s):  
Franziska Pundt ◽  
Marcel Lück
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Health Complaints ◽  
Musculoskeletal Health ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Service Sectors ◽  
Practical Implications

This study investigates the job demands, job resources, and health of leaders in three service sectors. The analyses are based on data of the 2018 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey, a representative sample of the German labour force. The three service sectors trading, finance, and public services varied significantly in how leaders perceive job demands, job resources, psychosomatic health complaints, and musculoskeletal health complaints. Hardly any variation was found, however, in how demands and resources are associated with psychosomatic and musculoskeletal health complaints. These findings imply that service leaders’ perceptions provide sector-specific patterns of demands and resources, which are well reflected in stress theory. The findings further imply that there is no need for sector-specific theories predicting health complaints. The article concludes with a discussion of practical implications for health promotion in the three service sectors and the promotion of leaders’ health.

scholarly journals Health behaviours and psychosocial working conditions as predictors of disability pension due to different diagnoses: a population-based study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annina Ropponen ◽  
Jurgita Narusyte ◽  
Karri Silventoinen ◽  
Pia Svedberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Disability Pension ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Job Control ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
Unit Increase

Abstract Background To investigate whether the clustering of different health behaviours (i.e. physical activity, tobacco use and alcohol consumption) influences the associations between psychosocial working conditions and disability pension due to different diagnoses. Methods A population-based sample of 24,987 Swedish twins born before 1958 were followed from national registers for disability pension until 2013. Baseline survey data in 1998–2003 were used to assess health behaviours and psychosocial Job Exposure Matrix for job control, job demands and social support. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results During follow-up, 1252 disability pensions due to musculoskeletal disorders (5%), 601 due to mental diagnoses (2%) and 1162 due to other diagnoses (5%) occurred. In the models controlling for covariates, each one-unit increase in job demands was associated with higher (HR 1.16, 95%CI 1.01–1.33) and in job control with lower (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.80–0.94) risk of disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders among those with unhealthy behaviours. Among those with healthy behaviours, one-unit increase of social support was associated with a higher risk of disability pension due to mental and due to other diagnoses (HRs 1.29–1.30, 95%CI 1.04–1.63). Conclusions Job control and job demands were associated with the risk of disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders only among those with unhealthy behaviours. Social support was a risk factor for disability pension due to mental or other diagnoses among those with healthy behaviours. Workplaces and occupational health care should acknowledge these simultaneous circumstances in order to prevent disability pension.

scholarly journals Working conditions and compensated sickness absence among nurses and care assistants in Sweden during two decades: a cross-sectional biennial survey study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e030096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Staffan Marklund ◽  
Klas Gustafsson ◽  
Gunnar Aronsson ◽  
Constanze Leineweber ◽  
Magnus Helgesson
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Rate Ratio ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Factors ◽  
Work Environment Factors ◽  
Ratio Range

ObjectivesThe aims of the study were to trace the patterns of work environment factors and compensated sickness absence (SA) among nurses and care assistants compared with other occupations and to compare SA among exposed and non-exposed nurses and care assistants.DesignA cross-sectional survey on work environment factors based on the biennial Swedish Work Environment Surveys 1991–2013, linked to longitudinal register data on SA 1993–2014.ParticipantsThe study included 98 249 individuals, stratified into nurses and care assistants (n=16 179) and a reference population including all other occupations (n=82 070).Outcome measureAnnual days of compensated SA (>14 days) 3 years after exposure years.ResultsNurses and care assistants had higher SA in 1993–2014 compared with all other occupations, and differences in background factors only partly explained this relationship. For both groups, exposure to physical work factors remained steady, but the number of exposed were 10%–30% higher among nurses and care assistants. Those exposed to heavy physical work and strenuous working postures had in most years significantly higher SA when compared with non-exposed (rate ratio range: 1.4–1.9). Exposure to high job demands increased 10%–25% in 1991–1999 among nurses and care assistants but became more stable in 2001–2013 and high proportions of high job demands coincided with the increase in SA in 1995–1999. Nurses and care assistants exposed to high job demands had for most years significantly higher SA than non-exposed (rate ratio range: 1.5–2.1). Low job control and low support from supervisors elevated SA significantly only for a few years.ConclusionsExposure to negative work factors among nurses and care assistants was weakly associated with variations in SA, but may be related to their higher level of SA when compared with other occupations. Improved physical and psychosocial working conditions may reduce the elevated SA level in these occupations.

scholarly journals “This Isn’t Just about Things, It’s about People and Their Future”: A Qualitative Analysis of the Working Conditions and Strains of Social Workers in Refugee and Homeless Aid

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (20) ◽  
pp. 3858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Wirth ◽  
Janika Mette ◽  
Albert Nienhaus ◽  
Zita Schillmöller ◽  
Volker Harth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Psychological Strain ◽  
Job Content

Large parts of Europe have been affected by an influx of refugees and increasing homelessness in recent years. Social workers provide care services for refugees and homeless people, but little is known about their working conditions. The aim of this study was to examine their job demands, resources and health strains. 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with social workers in refugee and homeless aid in Hamburg and Berlin between October and December 2017. The interviews were analysed following Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. Additionally, the job demands and resources of social workers with and without long-term psychological strain were compared. Respondents particularly experienced demands concerning their job content and work organisation, including emotional and quantitative demands. Appreciation expressed by clients and social support from the team served as key resources. Respondents had problems switching off from work, were exhausted and exhibited signs of long-term psychological strain, such as symptoms of burnout or depressive states. Workers reporting long-term psychological strain were more likely to consider themselves as being adversely constrained by legal requirements and to describe inadequate supervision offers and team conflicts. In conclusion, the results indicate the need for job-specific health promotion measures reducing particularly demands concerning social workers’ job content and work organisation and further strengthening their social support.

Sweatshops, Choice, and Exploitation

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Zwolinski
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Third Parties ◽  
Moral Claim ◽  
Improve Working ◽  
Additional Labor

ABSTRACT:This paper argues that sweatshop workers’ choices to accept the conditions of their employment are morally significant, both as an exercise of their autonomy and as an expression of their preferences. This fact establishes a moral claim against interference in the conditions of sweatshop labor by third parties such as governments or consumer boycott groups. It should also lead us to doubt those who call for MNEs to voluntarily improve working conditions, at least when their arguments are based on the claim that workers have a moral right to such improvement. These conclusions are defended against three objections: 1) that sweatshop workers’ consent to the conditions of their labor is not fully voluntary, 2) that sweatshops’ offer of additional labor options is part of an overall package that actually harms workers, 3) that even if sweatshop labor benefits workers, it is nevertheless wrongfully exploitative.

scholarly journals P.2.29 Does a change in working conditions influence labour force participation among workers with a chronic disease?

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A94.3-A95
Author(s):  
Jolinda Schram ◽  
Suzan Robroek ◽  
Patricia Ots ◽  
Sander van Zon ◽  
Sandra Brouwer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Discrete Time ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Physical Workload ◽  
Survival Models ◽  
Paid Employment

ObjectiveThis study investigated the association between changing working conditions and exit from paid employment during the following year among older workers with a chronic disease in the Netherlands.MethodFour annual waves from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM; 2010–2013) provided information on working conditions and demographics for 2838 older workers with a chronic disease, aged 45–64 years. The analytical sample consisted of 5491 responses from 2838 workers. Five types of working conditions were investigated; physical workload, psychological job demands, job autonomy, emotional job demands and social support. Discrete-time survival models were used to estimate the associations of change in working conditions in a particular year on the probability of exiting paid work for persons with a chronic disease in the following year.ResultsOf the 2838 workers, a small majority was male (52%), most workers had an intermediate level of education (39.7%), and the mean age was 53.7 years (SD 5.50). Results showed that working conditions substantially changed (i.e. difference of one standard deviation) between two waves. Social support and emotional job demands had the highest amounts of substantial changes (17% and 19%), while physical demands remained relatively stable (6% substantial change). After the first two waves, about 12% of workers with a chronic illness left paid employment. Results of discrete-time survival models are expected to be available in 2019 (by the time of the EPICOH conference).ConclusionEnsuring that working conditions can be adapted to the needs of older workers who have a chronic disease may help to extend working life.

scholarly journals Psychosocial working conditions and future sick leave and disability pension trajectories in Sweden

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Salonen ◽  
K Alexanderson ◽  
R Rugulies ◽  
E Framke ◽  
M Niemelä ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Disability Pension ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Job Control ◽  
Multinomial Regression ◽  
Job Exposure Matrix ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
And Control ◽  
Group Memberships

Abstract Background Psychosocial working conditions such as job demands and job control have been found to be associated with employee health and well-being, but studies on the associations with sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP) are scarce. We examined 11-year SA/DP trajectories and the association between psychosocial working conditions and subsequent SA/DP trajectories in the Swedish workforce. Methods Using a prospective cohort study with microdata we explored SA/DP trajectories among female and male employees, respectively, aged 30-53 years in 2001 in Sweden (1,076,042 women; 1,102,721 men). Group-based trajectory analysis was used to model annual mean SA/DP net days trajectories in 2002-2012. Based on a Swedish Job Exposure Matrix (JEM), individuals were assigned an age-, sex- and occupation-specific mean score for demands and control, respectively. Mean scores were categorized into tertiles and categorised into 3x3 combinations of exposure categories. Using multinomial regression we predicted trajectory group memberships for the JEM. Results The highest rate of women were in occupations with low demands and control (24.8%), while the highest rate of men (22.9%) was in occupations with high demands and control. We found three SA/DP trajectories for women (low, medium, high increasing) and two for men (low, high increasing). In fully adjusted models, those in occupations with low demands and low control were at higher risk of belonging to the high increasing SA/DP trajectory compared to those in occupations with high job demands and control in both women (OR 3.86; 95% CI: 3.75-3.97) and men (OR 3.0; 2.99-3.16). Conclusions Low job demands and low job control were associated with more high increasing future SA/DP trajectories compared to high job demands and job control in both women and men. Key messages In Sweden, women are more often in occupations characterized by low job demands and low job control and men are more often in occupations with high job demands and high job control. Occupations with low job demands and low job control were associated with more adverse SA/SP trajectories compared to occupations with high job demands and high job control in both women and men.

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