ABSTRACT
When Switzerland shifted from a social-investment-oriented type of welfare state to a health-promotion one, workplace health gained new importance. This shift increased employers’ responsibility for preventing work-related illness. Swiss policies appeal to companies’ social responsibility but do not force them to meet social obligations (e.g., quotas for employing people with disabilities). This chapter discusses new measures to support and retain employees with disabilities and the consequences for employee health and social security. In contrast to earlier schemes, which removed employees from workplaces while they recovered, recent policies bring disability management closer to workplaces, asking employers’ cooperation to retain employees at risk of serious illness or permanent disability.
