Fewer people with disabilities working

In 2004 some 16 percent of people aged 15-64 were hampered in finding or carrying out paid jobs due to chronic complaints, illness or disabilities. This makes a disabled workforce of almost 1.8 million. Their share in the population is the same as in 2003. This is because the growth rate of the disabled workforce was the same as the growth rate of the population as a whole, according to the latest figures by Statistics Netherlands.

Lower participation rate on the job market

In 2004, over 42 percent of the disabled workforce had a job of twelve hours a week or more, making them part of the active labour force. The participation rate has been reduced a little each year since 2002. In 2002 some 45 percent of the disabled workforce had a job. The participation rate dropped among men and women. The participation rate of the disabled workforce is lower than that of the total population. 

People with disabilities relatively often work in care

Compared to the total active labour force, the disabled workforce relatively often has a job in care. Some 18 percent of the disabled workforce worked in health and care, versus 16 percent of the active labour force as a whole.

Back and neck complaints most frequent

Over half of the disabled workforce is hampered in finding or maintaining paid jobs due to back and neck complaints. Back and neck complaints are still the most frequent complaints among women and men.

Women with a labour disablement much more often had complaints about arms, migraines or serious headaches than men. Men more often had cardio-vascular complaints and hearing problems. Psychological complaints were mentioned as often by men as by women.

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