Dr. Emile Tompa
Dr. Emile Tompa is a senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health. He holds appointments as an associate professor in the Department of Economics at McMaster University and as an assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.
Tompa is a labour and health economist with an MBA from the University of British Columbia, an MA in economics from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in economics from McMaster University.
Tompa’s research interests include the consequences of occupational health and safety system design on the health and well-being of individuals and populations, the economic evaluation of workplace interventions for improving the health and well-being of workers, the economic burden of adverse health conditions and disability, and the analysis of disability policy systems. Tompa holds a six-year funding envelope as the nominated principal applicant from the New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation Stream for a social innovation laboratory called Inclusive Design for Employment Access (IDEA). The initiative is focused on skilling up employers to advance their abilities to tap into diverse talent pools, with a focus on persons with disabilities.

“How to get the most for the least, that’s the basis for economics. I am interested in analyzing issues related to occupational health and safety and work disability prevention and management from the standpoint of this basic challenge.” – Dr. Emile Tompa
Projects
- Tracking long-term outcomes of injured workers in Ontario to better target supports. Funded by Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Completed. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Bondebjerg A, Filges T, Pejtersen JH, Viinholt BCA, Burr H, Hasle P , Tompa E, Birkefoss K, Bengtsen E. Protocol:: occupational health and safety regulatory interventions to improve the work environment: an evidence and gap map of effectiveness studies. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2022;18(2)::e1231. doi:10.1002/cl2.1231.
- Tompa E, Samosh D, Johnston H, Irvin E, Gewurtz R, Padkapayeva K, Moser C. Funding employment services to create sustainable employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. Institute for Work & Health; 2022.
- Tompa E, Samosh D, Santuzzi AM. Guest editorial. The benefits of inclusion: disability and work in the 21st century. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 2022;41(3):309-317. doi:10.1108/EDI-04-2022-376.
- Tompa E, Mofidi A, Jetha A, lahey P, Buettgen A. Development and implementation of a framework for estimating the economic benefits of an accessible and inclusive society. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 2022;41(3):318-339. doi:10.1108/EDI-07-2020-0186.
- Gewurtz RE, Harlos K, Tompa E, Oldfield M, Lysaght R, Moll S, Kirsh B, Sultan-Taieb H, Cook K, Rueda S. Retaining and supporting employees with mental illness through inclusive organizations: lessons from five Canadian case studies. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 2022;41(3):435-453. doi:10.1108/EDI-06-2020-0174.
Speaker Series presentations
- Systematic review of the effectiveness of OHS regulatory enforcement. IWH Speaker Series. May 5, 2015.
- Income security and labour-market engagement: Envisioning the future of work disability policy in Canada. IWH Speaker Series. February 11, 2014.
- Work disability trajectories under three workers' compensation programs. IWH Speaker Series. April 2, 2013.
- The impact of temporary employment and job tenure on sickness absence. IWH Speaker Series. May 4, 2010.
Interviews and articles
- New cases of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer in one year cost $1.9B. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 85, Summer 2016.
- Employers that focus on both operations and safety don’t have to sacrifice either. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 85, Summer 2016.
- Asbestos-related cancers cost Canada $2B. Asbestos.com: The Mesothelioma Center (Washington, DC). June 29, 2016. Available from: https://www.asbestos.com/news/2016/06/29/asbestos-related-cancer-cost-canada-2-billion/
- Asbestos-related cancer costs Canada billions. The Globe and Mail. June 16, 2016. Available from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/asbestos-related-cancer-costs-canadians-billions/article30621739/
- Peer coaching on patient lifts lowers injury, but at a small cost. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 84, Spring 2016.