1.2Employment data
Table 3: Most recent employment data, aged 20-64
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015
Table 4: Employment rate data, by age group
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015
Table 5: Trends in employment by gender and disability (aged 20-64)
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015 (and preceding UDBs)
The table above shows a comparison of national employment trends for disabled and non-disabled women and men, and compares this with the EU2020 headline indicator for the EU as a whole.
Alternative data on disability and employment provided by the national expert:
The following table is adapted from a 2010 study of the Flemish administration (VDAB) about persons with an ‘arbeidshandicap’ (labour/job-handicap, who are distant from the labour market due to impairments or chronic diseases):
|
Severe limitations
|
Limited limitations
|
Total
|
Without ‘labour-handicap’
|
Total population 15-64
|
230,000
|
197,000
|
427,000
|
3,566,000
|
Proportion of the global population
|
5.8%
|
4.9%
|
10.7%
|
89.3%
|
Working
|
22.0%
|
53.9%
|
36.7%
|
69.4%
|
Inactive
|
74.5%
|
39.9%
|
58.6%
|
27.3%
|
Looking for a job
|
6.1%
|
3.5%
|
4.7%
|
3.3%
|
Source: vdab.be/sites/web/files/doc/trends/KiK_Arbeidsgeh...
So 1 in 10 persons within the age range 15-64 claimed to have limitations in doing daily activities. Only 36.7% of those with limitations have a job. Within the group of persons with severe limitations only 22% are in work. A large group of persons with a ‘labour handicap’ are inactive (58.6%). Within the group of persons with severe limitations it even runs up to 74.5%. A very limited number of persons with limitations are looking for a job (4.7%) Those who are looking for a job have problems getting into the labour market (11.4% of those with a ‘labour handicap’ looking for a job are without a job).
Within the second quarter of the year 2011 Statistics Belgium implemented the EU ad hoc module on participation in the labour market of persons with long-term health problems and long-term limitations in daily activities. The module focused on citizens aged between 15 and 64. The total sample consisted of 16,053 persons (response rate 95.4%) The results of this survey were compared with EU-SILC data by ANED in 2014 but still provide the most recent findings for Belgium:
Employment of people with long term health problems (FPS Economy, 2011)
Belguim
|
(Persons with limitations)
|
(Persons without limitations)
|
Total population 15-64 years old
|
Employment level
|
33.4%
|
67.3%
|
62.5%
|
Unemployment level
|
13.8%
|
5.8%
|
6.6%
|
Inactivity level
|
61.2%
|
28.5%
|
33.1%
|
Source: Statistics Belgium7
An interesting case to follow is the quota as established by the Federal Government to have persons with disability as employees within the different administrations and institutions of the Federal Government. The Belgium Federal Government decided that the target is to have 3% persons with disabilities within its staff.8 The Guidance commission that is installed to organise the follow-up and the guidance of this 3% target offers the following statistics.
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
0.9%
|
1.28%
|
1.37%
|
1.54%
|
1.57%
|
1.45%
|
Source : Annual Reports of BCAPH on www.fedweb.belgium.be
1.2.1Unemployment
National administrative rules and definitions of ‘unemployment’ vary, and these may affect the way in which disabled people are categorised in different countries. The following tables compare national data with the EU2020 headline indicator for the EU.
Table 6: Most recent unemployment data, aged 20-64
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015
Table 7: Unemployment rate data, by age group
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015
Table 8: Trends in unemployment by gender and disability (aged 20-64)
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015 (and preceding UDBs)
Fluctuations in the gendered trends of unemployment for people with impairments at national level should be treated with some caution. Illustrative trend lines are added for disabled women and men but should not be regarded as robust indications.
Alternative data on disability and unemployment from national sources:
The concept of ‘unemployment ‘has to be compared with the concept of ‘inactivity’ (see alternative data provided for section ‘disability and employment’ above).
An interesting phenomenon to follow is the success rate of former students of special secondary schools in their attempts to find a job. Statistics from 2004-2005 until 2014 show that in 2014 38.5% of these students still did not have a job 1 year after leaving their special school trajectory. Those who are following an extra year of practice-based training after their (special) secondary school training - 3 days a week on the work floor - score systematically better in finding a job after their extra-year.9
1.2.2Economic activity
Table 9: Most recent economic activty data, aged 20-64
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015
Table 10: Activity rate data, by age group
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015
Table 11: Trends in activity rates by gender and disability (aged 20-64)
Source: EUSILC UDB 2013 – version 2 of August 2015 (and preceding UDBs)
Alternative data on disability and economic activity provided by the national expert:
It is important to link employment, unemployment and economic activity statistics to the phenomenon of ‘disability benefits’. In a 2010 OECD paper on Sickness, Disability and Work: Breaking the barriers we learn that Belgium is one of the countries which moved from below the OECD average to above (statistics of mid ‘90s to 2008) concerning people of working age on disability benefits.
A big concern for the next years will be given to the link between ‘mental health and work’. We learn from the OECD Report ‘Mental health and Work: Belgium’ (2013)10 that …
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In Belgium employment rates of persons with mental health problems are 15% lower and their unemployment rates 10% higher than those of persons without mental health problems.
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For those who work, 4 in 5 struggle in their job and they report reduced performance at work.
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Disability claims based on mental health problems are frequent and rising. About one third of the 260,000 disability insurance beneficiaries and a significant proportion of the 160,000 disability allowance beneficiaries have a ‘mental disorder’ as primary cause for their benefit claim.
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The total costs for society, employers, individuals and their families are calculated to be 3.4% of the GDP in Belgium…(p.13)
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