Conference Symposia
Workplace stigma, discrimination and disclosure: Challenges and solutions for sustainable employment
- Evelien Brouwers, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
- Marc Corbiere, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
- Naomi de Leng, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
- Philippe Sterkens, Ghent University, Belgium
- Janske van Eersel, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
- Monique Gignac, Institute for Work & Health, Canada
Stigma and discrimination in the workplace remain underestimated yet powerful barriers to sustainable employment for people with (mental) health conditions. Workplace stakeholders (e.g. line managers, HR personnel, coworkers) often hold stigmatizing attitudes that result in exclusion rather than inclusion of workers with health problems. This symposium aims to highlight mechanisms through which stigma and discrimination undermine sustainable employment; present empirical evidence and innovative approaches to support disclosure in different professional contexts; and discuss practical strategies to reduce stigma and empower employees and employers in making informed choices. Evelien Brouwers will introduce the topic and identify research gaps, followed by a series of presentations from Canadian and Dutch researchers.
From risk to reintegration: Rethinking injury and return-to-work pathways for im/migrant and precarious workers
- Daniel Côté, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), Canada
- Jessica Dubé, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), Canada
- Basak Yanar, Institute for Work & Health, Canada
This symposium will explore the complexity of return-to-work (RTW) processes for workers with temporary or permanent im/migrant status in precarious employment who have sustained occupational injuries. These individuals—whether temporary foreign workers, asylum seekers, international students, or recent permanent immigrants—are overrepresented in high-risk, low-protection sectors and often face barriers long before an injury occurs, including unsafe conditions, fear of reprisal, and limited access to OHS prevention. These challenges are compounded by language barriers, limited knowledge of occupational health and safety (OHS) rights, and institutional misrecognition of structural and migration-related vulnerabilities. Grounded in qualitative and ethnographic research, the presentations in this symposium will examine how injury and rehabilitation pathways unfold when employment precarity intersects with cultural and systemic disjunctures.
Hospital-based participation in integrated care – What are successful interventions and key ingredients to enhance work participation?
- Margot Joosen, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
- Paul Kuijer, Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
- Olivier Nachtergaele, Academic Medical Hospital Louvain, Belgium
- Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia, University of Toronto, Canada
Work disability prevention has traditionally focused on workplace-based interventions or post-discharge rehabilitation programs. However, a new wave of innovation is reshaping the landscape: Hospital-Based Participation Integrated Care (H-PIC), care that embeds work participation planning into acute and specialist hospital care pathways. In H-PIC, the hospital is in the lead to secure participation-directed care before a person leaves the hospital. The goal is to ensure that treatment and recovery plans align with the person’s personal preferences, needs, and values. This early integration bridges the gap between medical treatment and real-world participation, reducing the risk of long-term disability and supporting timely employability. This symposium will bring together five front-runners who are pioneering and evaluating H-PIC interventions. Each will present a unique perspective, creating a panoramic view of this emerging approach. Together, the speakers will define what H-PIC is and how it differs from conventional care and vocational rehabilitation; showcase innovative programs, highlighting different clinical settings (e.g., oncology, orthopedic and trauma surgery); identify the essential components (“key ingredients”) that make these interventions effective; discuss implementation challenges, including hospital–employer communication, financing, and interprofessional coordination; and explore opportunities for cross-country collaboration, research, and scaling.
Knowledge transfer and exchange approaches for occupational injury and work disability prevention
- Dwayne Van Eerd, Institute for Work & Health, Canada
- Emma Irvin, Institute for Work & Health, Canada
- Marie-France Duranceau, Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), Canada
Knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) is a process of exchange between researchers and knowledge users designed to make relevant research information available and accessible for use in decision-making about practices, programs and policies. Funders of work disability research expect KTE plans in funding applications. Knowledge users challenge work disability prevention researchers to provide high quality knowledge/evidence about a range of often complex interventions. The messages stemming from research often require transfer/translation to diverse audiences including policy makers, scientists, practitioners, employers and workers. The objective of this symposium is to present and discuss the KTE approaches by research institutes from different jurisdictions and a scoping review of the literature on KTE approaches. After a brief introduction of KTE definitions and terminology, Dwayne Van Eerd will describe the comprehensive approach to KTE at the Institute for Work & Health, Marie-France Duranceau will describe the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité (IRSST) KTE approach, Dwayne, Marie-France and Emma will also briefly present on the KTE approach used by the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA) and the partnership between the three institutes, and Emma Irvin will describe a scoping review of KTE approaches in occupational health and safety and disability management.
More than just a colour? Studying and addressing racism in work disability management
- Arif Jetha, Institute for Work & Health, Canada
- Stephanie Premji, McMaster University, Canada
- Sonja Senthanar, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
- Basak Yanar, Institute for Work & Health, Canada
Industrialized labour markets are characterized by growing racial diversity among workers. Despite policies that mandate employment equity, there remains significant occupational segregation according to race and ongoing systemic disadvantage. Racialized workers are exposed to the most unsafe and precarious working conditions, and face more frequent, severe, and disabling occupational injuries and illnesses when compared to white workers which can underly health and social inequities. We know little about the role of racism in access to workers’ compensation and return-to-work and we lack evidence to address racial inequities in the prevention and management of work disability. The objectives of this symposium are to raise awareness on the importance racism in research on work disability; examine the state of science on racism in WD; and engage in a critical discourse on how researchers can unpack racial inequities and inform practical strategies that address racism in work disability prevention and management.
Realist evaluation in the context of return to work research
- Sandra Brouwer, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
- Nicole Snippen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
- Josephine Bokermann, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
- Elmi Zwaan, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, The Netherlands
Realist evaluation is increasingly applied as a research methodology, including within the field of work and health. This theory-driven approach aims to identify the mechanisms through which programs or interventions produce outcomes, and how these mechanisms are influenced by different contextual factors. By examining what works, for whom, and under what circumstances, realist evaluation provides valuable insights into how and why interventions or programs function. These insights can be used to refine interventions and inform implementation and policy decisions. This symposium offers participants the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the theoretical foundations of realist evaluation, illustrated with practical examples, and to explore the opportunities and challenges of applying this approach in work and health research.
Inclusive Perspectives on Work Disability Prevention and Return-to-Work: A Latin American Dialogue in Spanish
- Marjorie Zúñiga, Justice of the Supreme Court of Colombia (Corte Suprema de Justicia)
- Catalina Copete, Occupational Medicine Consultant, Colombia
- Diana Cuervo, National Disability Board (Junta Nacional de Calificación de Invalidez), Colombia
- Monica Vargas, Researcher, Colombia
Work disability prevention and return-to-work (RTW) strategies have long been explored in predominantly English-speaking scientific forums, often limiting access and active participation for professionals from Spanish-speaking and lower-middle-income countries. This symposium aims to bridge that gap by offering a fully Spanish-language session focused on Latin American experiences in disability prevention and labor reintegration. The symposium will feature speakers from Colombia and Peru, with plans to expand participation to additional Spanish-speaking countries. The goal is to foster inclusive dialogue on legal, social, and occupational health approaches to work disability prevention, tailored to regional contexts.
Rethinking disability, work reintegration and pension policies: A global perspective for inclusive transitions
- Cristiane Gallasch, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- João Silvestre Silva-Junior, University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil
- Diana Cuervo, National Disability Board (Junta Nacional de Calificación de Invalidez), Colombia
- Gerald Méndez, Medical Board for Work Disability Assessment, Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Costa Rica
This symposium will explore the intersection of disability, work reintegration, and public/private pension policies across multiple global contexts. As demographic changes, chronic illness prevalence, and aging trends shift the labor landscape, the urgency to reform disability-related benefits and return-to-work (RTW) systems becomes a worldwide concern. The session aims to foster comparative dialogue among global stakeholders, highlighting diverse national experiences and offering concrete strategies for policy innovation. It will also examine the equity gaps and legal frameworks that shape transitions between work, disability, and retirement—especially in low- and middle-income countries.