Assessing working ability

The term working ability means every person’s individual ability to cope with their work. It is affected by a number of factors, including physical and psychological resources, attitude, and skills. There are various services to help you assess your working ability.

You can carry out a self-assessment of your work ability by completing the Abilitator questionnaire. Assessing work ability may also require a health assessment. In that case, contact the health services in your area. You can also get help in assessing your work ability from the TE Office or a local government trial. If you are under 30 years old, you can also use the services of the One-Stop Guidance Center (Ohjaamo).

The Abilitator is a free self-assessment method of work ability and functioning for all people of working age. With the Abilitator quiz you can find out about your situation, strengths, and development needs.

Abilitator

You should find out what your current state of health is if it has not been checked in a long time or if you feel like it has changed. If you are unemployed, the TE Office or local government pilot is responsible for providing you with an examination of your working ability and functional capacity. You need a medical certificate so that you can participate in services promoting work ability.

The state of health of unemployed persons can be ascertained in the health examination of unemployed persons organised by the municipality, the state of health of employed persons in occupational healthcare, and the state of health of students in student healthcare.

Your TE Office or local government pilot expert has the responsibility to direct you to services that are appropriate for your working ability and ability to function. 

TE Offices employ designated working ability coordinators that help employers employ people with partial working ability and support job seekers in matters related to working ability and finding employment. Working ability coordinators are there to support you in all stages of finding employment and staying employed. If you are a customer of a local government pilot, your home municipality will support you in matters related to your working ability and finding employment. Telephone services are also available. 

Work Ability Coordinators at the TE Offices (toimistot.te-palvelut.fi)⁠

If you are under 30, visiting a One-Stop Guidance Centre can help you get started with assessing your work ability. The One-Stop Guidance Centre will give you information and guidance based on your needs in matters related to, for example, your studies, finding employment and coping with everyday challenges. 

The One-Stop Guidance Centers (ohjaamot.fi)⁠

If you are partially able to work, various services can help you find employment 

If your work ability is limited or otherwise impaired by a disability or illness, your employment can be promoted through, for example, multisectoral joint services or rehabilitation measures. If your ability to work requires changes at your workplace or you need help with certain tasks, your employer may be able to provide financial support to help you make such arrangements. You can promote your chances of getting a job with a large employer by requesting from the TE Office or a local government trial a certificate stating that you have been entered in the customer register of TE services as a job seeker with partial work ability.

You may have the opportunity to use the cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment, known as TYP, if you are struggling to find employment due to difficulty coping, limited ability to function or otherwise reduced work ability. 

Cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment (TYP)

Rehabilitative work activities may be an appropriate solution if you have been unemployed for an extended period of time and are returning to working life, starting a career, or recovering from an illness or difficult life circumstances. Rehabilitative work activities are intended for people who are unable to participate in the services offered by TE services. 

Rehabilitative work activities

Rehabilitation may be useful if a disability or illness is making your studies, your work or coping with different stages in life difficult. 

Rehabilitation services are organised by Kela, public health care, occupational health care, municipal social services, disability organisations, traffic and accident insurance institutions, and authorised pension companies. Kela and traffic and accident insurance institutions also secure your livelihood for the period they spend organising or reimbursing comprehensive rehabilitation. 

Vocational rehabilitation can help you choose an appropriate profession, find employment, stay employed and return to employment, regardless of your illness. Traffic and accident insurance institutions, authorised pension companies, and Kela organise statutory vocational rehabilitation. To receive vocational rehabilitation, you need to meet the stipulated requirements. 

You can ask your doctor or Kela which organisations’ rehabilitation services you may be eligible for. Your TE Office or local government expert can also help you determine where you may be able to get rehabilitation. 

Finding or keeping a job may require changes at your workplace. You may also need help with certain tasks at work. 

Employers have the responsibility and often also the desire to make reasonable adjustments to duties and working conditions if it eliminates detriments to work caused by disabilities or illnesses. 

Employers can be granted a subsidy for arranging working conditions. To find out if an employer would be eligible to receive a subsidy for arranging working conditions if they hire you, talk to your TE Office or local government pilot expert. You can also raise the matter with an occupational health care professional if you are already employed and your current employer needs to arrange working conditions. It is a good idea to let your employer know if they are eligible for the subsidy. 

Subsidy for arranging working conditions

As a TE services customer, you can request a certificate from your TE Office or local government pilot that proves that you have been registered as a job seeker with partial work ability in the TE services customer register. The purpose of the certificate is to make it easier for job seekers with partial working ability to find employment with major employers. Once you have received the certificate, deliver it to the employer. 

Todistus suurtyönantajalle osatyökykyisyydestä (vates.fi, in Finnish) ⁠

Support for maintaining the ability to work

While an illness or disability may reduce your work ability and functional capacity, this does not necessarily mean that you are completely unable to work. You can get a wide range of help to maintain your work ability.

More information

Support for job seeking

You need to be proactive to find a job. You can also use a range of services to help in your job search.

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