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The UK work and pensions secretary visited Denmark to learn from its 'Fleksjobs' scheme, which provides subsidised part-time employment with dedicated support for people with reduced work capacity, achieving a disability employment rate increase from 44% to 61% since 2012. The UK government is considering similar approaches as disability-related unemployment among young people has risen significantly, with 45.3% of NEETs now classified as disabled compared to 21% in 2014.
A Japanese study of 158 employed patients who underwent surgery for gastric or esophageal cancer found that 78.5% were working at 18 months post-surgery, with median return-to-work times of 30 days for gastric cancer and 70 days for esophageal cancer. The research identifies pain, appetite loss, financial impact, and weight loss at 6 months as significant barriers to sustained work participation, with implications for workplace accommodations and occupational health support.
UK government statistics show 5.6 million disabled people were employed in April-June 2026, with a 53% employment rate compared to 82.4% for non-disabled people, representing a 29.4 percentage point disability employment gap. The data reveals disabled people face higher rates of job loss, lower transition rates into employment, and are more likely to be underemployed or working in lower-skilled occupations.
Workplace Belonging Week (9–15 November 2026) aims to connect conversations across diversity, equity and inclusion by examining whether employees genuinely feel they belong at work. The article emphasizes that belonging requires collective responsibility from leaders, managers and colleagues, and highlights how workplace design and psychological safety affect disabled and neurodivergent employees.
A Cork pub has partnered with tech company AssistiV Ireland to hire David Mullins, a man with an intellectual disability, using touch-screen technology that converts complex tasks into simple visual and audio cues to support his work as a bartender and server. The technology is now being rolled out across Irish hospitality venues to address employment barriers for people with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism, with 48 people currently supported in roles across hospitality and other sectors.
Moldova's government is implementing labor market reforms targeting vulnerable groups including people caring for disabled individuals, with measures such as skills training and transport cost reimbursement to increase workforce participation. The country has Europe's lowest employment rate (55%) and highest inactivity rate, with women caring for persons with disabilities identified as a significant group outside the workforce.
Research shows US workers lose 63.4 productive days annually to health problems, with 85% occurring through presenteeism (reduced performance while working) rather than sickness absence. The article emphasizes that employers need to support employees with chronic and mental health conditions through workplace flexibility and adjustments to enable sustainable work.
Ireland's Minister for Disability announced €2 million in funding for 13 organisations promoting equal employment opportunities for women, including Now Training & Employment Enterprise which supports neurodiverse, autistic, and learning-disabled people into long-term employment. The funding aims to remove employment barriers for women across Dublin and Louth through the European Social Fund Plus programme.
#### Early learning struggles can affect confidence well into adulthood. Shaun Low, Founder, Swords & Stationery, shares how schools and employers can better support neurodivergent individuals,...
The European Commission adopted the delegated regulation on the European Disability Card in July 2026, setting out QR code standards for the physical cards to ensure security and interoperability across member states. Under Directive 2024/2841, all 27 EU countries now have until June 2027 to transpose the law into national legislation and until June 2028 to begin issuing the cards. The European Disability Forum reports that as of June 2026, only 9 member states — including the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Slovenia — had started or announced public consultations. The Card will be free of charge, include Braille, and serve as proof of disability status for accessing special conditions and services across borders. For employers with cross-border workforces, this standardisation could simplify accommodations processes and verification of disability status, reducing administrative barriers for mobile workers with disabilities.
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The _Keep Britain Working_ review is seeking to learn lessons from Europe to explore the possibility of creating insurance schemes that pool risk to enable SMEs to access health and wellbeing...
For millions of stroke survivors worldwide, the moment they are declared medically stable is often treated as the finish line of rehabilitation.
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A systematic review finds people with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia often stay employed but face work impairment and limited workplace support.
PM responds to criticism from former Bank of England chief economistWes Streeting, the defence secretary, has posted this on social media ahead of Andy Burnham’s meeting with the Nato secretary...
Smart glasses are moving rapidly from novelty to widespread use. Devices that look like ordinary prescription eyewear can take photographs, record video and audio, livestream content, connect to...
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