Disability and work

According to a new study by the Institute for Work and Health (IWH), workers who identify as having a disability are more likely to be exposed to workplace hazards. Additionally, they are more likely to face inadequate occupational health and safety (OHS) protections. “Basically, they get hit with a double whammy,” said Dr. Curtis Breslin, lead author of the study.

Published: Canadian Occupational Safety, November 2017

Research elsewhere has shown that people with disabilities have a tough time getting hired. A new study at IWH now suggests we should also worry about those who do find jobs. Learn why.

Published: November 2017

In February of this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report titled Rehabilitation in health systems, which includes nine recommendations to improve rehabilitation services around the world. The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) played a key role in the development of these recommendations, being one of three research organizations contracted by WHO to canvas the evidence on the best ways to strengthen and expand the availability of quality rehabilitation services. While the report primarily targets low- and middle-income countries, as noted by Dr. Andrea Furlan, lead researcher of the IWH evidence-gathering team contracted by WHO, “the recommendations resonate in Canada as well, given that rehabilitation plays an important role in keeping people in an aging population independent for longer, and helping people with chronic and acute injuries participate in school and work.” At this plenary, Dr. Furlan and Emma Irvin (also on the IWH research team) discuss the WHO’s recommendations for improving rehabilitation services globally, as well as the evidence behind them.

Published: April 2017

Published: Disability and Rehabilitation, January 2017

Published: International Journal of Disability Management, January 2017

Funding for financial incentives to promote the employment of people with disabilities is substantial. Therefore, it's important to know when and how these incentives work best.

Status: Ongoing

IWH Nachemson lecture celebrates Wolfgang Zimmermann's decades-long commitment to improving the lives of injured workers and people with disabilities.

Published: November 2016

What is the cost to Canadians of excluding people with disabilities from fully participating in the paid labour market? An IWH research team is coming up with the answer.

Status: Completed 2022

The Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy, led by two IWH scientists, aims to improve how people with disability are supported in the labour market

Published: February 2014

In this plenary IWH senior scientists Drs. Emile Tompa and Ellen MacEachen describe the new Centre for Research in Work Disability Policy, recently launched to address work disability policy challenges through a seven-year SSHRC Partners grant. They describe the centre’s mandate and how it's organized to create a new generation of research on work disability policy.

Published: February 2014