Bakgrund: Sverige är ett av de länder som har högst sjukfrånvaro och för att minska den, med dess konskekvenser för individen och samhället, inrättades Sjukskrivningsmiljarden. Det gav hälso- och sjukvården ökade möjligheter att med sjukskrivningskoordinatorer effektivisera rehabiliteringen av de sjukskrivna. Den sjukskrivne upplever konsekvenser ur flera aspekter, inte minst avseende livskvaliteten. Sjukskrivningslängden står i direkt samband med den sjukskrivnes självförmåga till rehabilitering och desto längre sjukperioden är desto svårare är det att återgå till arbetet. Studier, såsom den av Noordik et al. (2011), menar att om den sjukskrivne upplever ett stöd från omgivningen stärks självförmågan och därmed ökar möjligheten till rehabilitering och återgång till arbetet. Syfte: Studiens syfte var att beskriva sjukskrivningskoordinerande sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av arbetet med att stärka sjukskrivnas självförmåga. Metod: Genom en kvalitativ design genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta sjukskrivningskoordinerande sjuksköterskor. Intervjuerna analyserades med hjälp av manifest innehållsanalys. Resultat: Tre kategorier framkom i resultatet. Kategorin Koordinatorns behov och förutsättningar för att kunna stärka den sjukskrivnes självförmåga belyser de kunskaper och faktorer som möjliggör ett stärkande av den sjukskrivnes självförmåga. Det är bland annat av värde att koordinatorn besitter kunskap om Försäkringskassans regler och att den egna yrkeserfarenheten som sjuksköterska används i mötet med den sjukskrivne. Förhållandet mellan koordinatorn och den sjukskrivne beskriver vikten av en helhetssyn, att vara tillgänglig för den sjukskrivne och risken med att göra för mycket. Den tredje kategorin Genomförande av arbetet som koordinator handlar om erfarenheter kring hur koordinatorn utför sitt arbete. Faktorer som beskrivs är att motivera den sjukskrivne, hjälpa denne finna en begriplighet och koordinatorns samarbete med andra aktörer. Slutsats: Koordinatorer betonar vikten av den sjukskrivnes självförmåga och för att kunna stärka denne behövs en relation som grundar sig på tillit. Helhetsperspektivet gör att koordinatorn kan anpassa insatserna vilket möjliggör en individanpassad rehabilitering och återgång till arbete. / Background: Sweden is one of the countries with the highest sick leave and in order to reduce it, with it´s consequences för the individual and the society, the Swedish government did a financial investment called Sjukskrivningsmiljarden. This increased the ability to, due to the coordinators function, increase the efficiency of patients’ rehabilitation process. Being on sick leave has consequences for patients in many areas, not least the quality of life. The length of sick leave is dependent upon patients´ self-efficacy concerning rehabilitation and returning to work. Research, such as Noordik et al. (2011), also indicates how patients´ self-efficacy can be strengthen by the support from the coordinator and thereby increase the capability to rehabilitation and return to work. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the sick leave-coordinating nurses’ experiences of strengthening self-efficacy in patients on sick leave. Method: A qualitative approach was used and data was collected by semi-structured interwievs. Eight sick leave-coordinating nurses participated and interviews were analysed with manifest content analysis. Results: Three categories resulted. The category Needs and conditions of the coordinator in order to strengthen the self-efficacy of the patient on sick leave describes the knowledge and factors needed to increase the patients self-efficacy. It is, among other things, important that the coordinator has knowledge in how the social insurance system works and that the coordinator uses her professional experiences as a nurse in contact with patients on sick leave. The relationship between the coordinator and the patient on sick leave describes the value of adopting a holistic perspective, to be available for the patient and the immanent risk of doing too much for the patient. The last category, Conducting the tasks of the coordinator, illustrates perceptions of how the coordinator conducts her work. Coordinators described how to motivate patients; how to support the patient to find comprehensibility; and how coordinators cooperate with other stakeholders. Conclusion: Sick leave-coordinators emphasizes the importance of the self-efficacy of the patient on sick leave. A relationship based in thrust is needed to strengthen the patients self-efficacy. The holistic perspective proposed by the coordinators opens opportunitites to individually adapt each patient´s the process of rehabilitation and return to work.

Women re-entering the labour market after parental leave represent one of the most vulnerable groups in the labour market. During parental leave, women frequently lose contact with their original employment. Depending on the length of parental leave, they fail, or have limited opportunities to develop their labour skills and knowledge. It happens very often, that they lose their jobs and face a very difficult life situation as they must find a new job after the termination of parental leave. This issue has been dealt with since 2004 at the regional level following the introduction of Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on employment, within the Active Employment Policy. Motivating or requalification programs focusing on this group represent an appropriate solution to this social problem. The situation of women returning to the labour market after parental leave is also the subject of the presented master thesis. The theoretical part contains historical review and describes the actual situation using an analysis of two regions and local services supporting the re-integration of women after their parental leave. The objective of the practical part is to identify key motivations for women taking part in the supporting programs during or after parental leave.

LL.D. / This thesis critically evaluates the position of pregnant women (and women who have recently given birth) in the context of South African Labour Law and social security law, from both a comparative and a South African perspective. The fact that women fall pregnant and give birth to children, while men do not, raises issues of theoretical and practical importance in regard to equality issues. Pregnancy has historically been both the cause of and the occasion for the exclusion of many women from the workplace because of the practical difficulties many women face in reconciling the demands of paid work with family responsibilities – although there is no logical reason why women’s giving birth to children necessarily means that they should have primary responsibility for childcare. The underlying premise which underpins the subject matter of this thesis is that pregnant women are unfairly discriminated against in the workplace. While it cannot be denied that men and women are different and that the biological fact of pregnancy is a state unique to women, this “difference” has resulted in gender discrimination, and, more germane to this thesis, in pregnancy discrimination in the jurisdictions to be considered, namely, the United Kingdom, the European Union, SADC and South Africa. This thesis concentrates on various issues pertaining to pregnancy and maternity protection and emphasises the seemingly irreconcilable dichotomy between the desire to recognise and accommodate women’s unique role as child-bearers and the desire to achieve parity between the sexes in regard to conditions of employment, remuneration and general benefits. The central dilemma is whether women can be treated as equal to men in regard to opportunities, entry to the workplace and remuneration, on the one hand, and yet be treated in a special way when it concerns childbearing and childrearing, on the other. In this thesis it is argued that men and women are different and that social justice cannot therefore be achieved by equal treatment. In facing this challenge, legislatures and courts have become ensnared in the dichotomy of equality and distinction, and the question considered here is whether South Africa is fulfilling its constitutional and international obligations regarding the equal treatment, and the granting to them of equal opportunities and reasonable accommodation. This thesis develops an appropriate and relevant paradigm for pregnant women in the workplace. It identifies and highlights the existing deficiencies and lacunae in the South African legal system inherent in both labour law and social security law, and develops proposals for the possible amendment of the existing legislative framework by drawing largely on international, supranational, foreign and regional jurisdictions and by critically evaluating the current South African maternity terrain, particularly in the light of South Africa’s developing constitutional jurisprudence.

Sjukskrivningar hos sjuksköterskor är ett utbrett problem, både i Sverige och globalt. Orsaker i arbetsmiljön gör att sjuksköterskor löper risk för sjukskrivning. Syftet med studien var att beskriva orsaker till arbetsmiljörelaterade sjukskrivningar hos sjuksköterskor. En allmän litteraturstudie användes som metod för studien. Studien baserades på nio kvantitativa samt två kvalitativa artiklar. Resultatet visade att orsaker till sjukskrivning hade sitt ursprung i tre områden, som bildade tre kategorier. Sjukvårdsorganisatoriska brister och problem, En psykosocial arbetsmiljö präglad av höga krav och otillfredsställande relationer samt Ogynnsamma förutsättningar i den fysiska arbetsmiljön. Genom att erhålla förståelse och kunskap till vad som bidrar till arbetsrelaterade sjukskrivningar skulle åtgärder kunna vidtas för att främja en god arbetsmiljö både för hälso-och sjukvårdspersonal men även utifrån ett omvårdnadsperspektiv. En djupare förståelse av problematiken ökar möjligheten för sjuksköterskor att ställa krav på organisationen i syfte att ge en patientsäker vård. / Sickness absence in nurses is a widespread problem, both in Sweden and globally. Causes in the working environment make nurses at risk of sick leave. The purpose of the study was to describe the causes of occupational health-related sick leave in nurses. A general literature study was used as a method. The study was based on nine quantitative and two qualitative articles. The results show that several causes of sick leave originated in three areas, which formed three categories. Healthcare organizational shortcomings and problems, A psychosocial work environment characterized by high demands and unsatisfactory relationships, as well as Unfavorable conditions in the physical working environment. By gaining understanding and knowledge of what contributes to work-related sick leave, measures could be taken to promote a good working environment for healthcare professionals, but also from a nursing perspective. A deeper understanding of the problem increases the possibility for nurses to claim the organization in order to provide patient-safe care.

The employment status of persons caring for a child Abstract The content of this thesis is the employment status of persons caring for a child. It is a topic that affects most people, mainly women, as it is a very current issue with a high social importance. Parenthood and childcare have a significant impact on an employee's working life, as the position of these persons under labor law is considerably more difficult and their protection is therefore absolutely essential in this area. The thesis deals in a comprehensive way with individual areas of labor law that are affected by child care. The thesis is concentrating on all phases of child care and according to this the thesis is divided systematically into five chapters. The first chapter analyzes the current legislation not only on national but also international level as well as it analyzes the European Union law. The second chapter is devoted to the working conditions of women during their pregnancy, the third chapter deals with the time after childbirth, such as maternity, the institution of maternity leave and the corresponding benefit of social security law. The rights of the father of the child after childbirth are also taken into account. The fourth chapter deals with parental leave together with parental allowance. The final chapter deals with...

The U.S. is the only OECD country that does not offer any form of federal paid parental leave. Only three states—California, New Jersey and Rhode Island—have state-provided paid leave policies; implemented in 2004, 2009 and 2014, respectively. Through descriptive statistics and difference-in-difference-in-difference regression analyses of the wages of women and men of childbearing age (19-45 years) in those three states, we assess whether the paid leave programs have effected wages, and whether these effects vary depending on gender. Our results show that wages of women of childbearing age saw negligible net effects post-policy in policy states, although statistically insignificant. On the other hand, the wages of men of childbearing age saw improvements post-policy implementation in policy states, compared to wages in non-policy states. Although the policies do not necessarily widen the gender wage gap, they do not work to help close it, due to flaws in the policies. To be more effective in reducing gender wage gaps, these policies need to increase the amount of paid support, and implement job protection rights in order to decrease the opportunity costs of men taking leave. If more men are able to take paid leave, then potentially parts of the gender wage gap that are due to employers viewing women as less attached to the workforce can decrease. Through this research we came to important conclusions that highlight the ways in which support of working parents in the US is lacking, and offered recommendations to create more equitable and effective policies.

in English Obstacles to work as a set of legal facts have fundamental influence on employment relations and concern each and every employee as well as employer (correlatively). The goal of this thesis was to explore this area of employment law thoroughly and to indicate individual rights and duties of both parties in employment relations, including those which surpass the Labour Code and its implementing legislation. This was to be accomplished by providing a comprehensive treatise on the subject with solutions to possible unexpected situations not covered in the Labour Code. Obstacles to work are defined as legally acknowledged circumstances that - on the part of the employee - impede or forbid the performance of work, and - on the part of the employer - impede or forbid the assignment of work, in cases when the employee"s absence from work is excused by the employer in compliance with the terms stated by employment laws, internal regulations or employment contract. Compensatory wage or salary and conditions of payment to idle workers are determined by the above-mentioned documents. The introduction of this doctoral thesis deals with the reasons why this particular topic was chosen and introduces Eurostat"s surveys which are further analyzed to the details. The main objective of this thesis is to...

This study sought to identify and explore the contributing factors responsible for the rate of high absenteeism, as a result of sick leave, at the South African Police Service (SAPS) Academy in Paarl. The research also explored international best practices in the management of absenteeism in police organizations. Furthermore, and most importantly, the study puts forward a set of recommendations to the management of SAPS regarding improvements that could address absenteeism and, ultimately, improve service delivery. Data was collected by means of a literature study coupled with semi-structured individual interviews. The interviews were conducted with the most diligent members of the group employees of the SAPS Academy in Paarl who had taken the least sick leave during the 2009-2012 leave cycle. A thorough literature review was conducted; this literature study focused on SAPS directives, inter alia, standing orders, regulations, national instructions and national legislation. In addition, national and international literature on absenteeism in the workplace was consulted. The findings of the study illustrate the impact of absenteeism on service delivery at the SAPS Academy, Paarl. It was established that absenteeism impacts on the morale of diligent members and, in turn, creates innumerable challenges for managers. The recommendations made in this study could contribute towards addressing and alleviating the impact of excessive absenteeism on service delivery at the SAPS Academy, Paarl. In addition, these recommendations could contribute towards addressing these matters within the broader SAPS body in and other government organizations, since absenteeism in the workplace is a general phenomenon. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Policing)

<p><strong>Syfte:</strong> Att undersöka pappors tankar och erfarenheter kring föräldrautbildning och föräldraledighet under barnets första levnadsår. <strong>Metod: </strong>Explorativ kvalitativ intervjustudie. Ett målinriktat bekvämlighetsurval gjordes och semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med nio män som blivit pappor under de senaste två åren. Data analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. <strong>Resultat: </strong>Föräldrautbildningen bör inriktas mer på det gemensamma föräldraskapet än på graviditet och förlossning. Trots utbildningens mammaperspektiv känner sig papporna inkluderade. En majoritet av papporna ser det som en självklarhet att ta ut en längre föräldraledighet. Positiva tankar om att dela lika på föräldradagarna är att få en nära relation med barnet och få en högre grad av jämställdhet och förståelse för varandras situation. Amning, föräldrarnas arbetsförhållanden och ekonomi är viktiga aspekter för fördelningen av föräldradagarna. Även könsroller och rollförväntningar har betydelse. Papporna är negativa till att tvingas dela helt lika men är positiva till en ökad kvotering. <strong>Slutsats: </strong>Att ta ut en längre föräldraledighet och att föräldraskapet är gemensamt ses som en självklarhet för majoriteten av papporna. Föräldrautbildningen bör riktas till båda föräldrarna och fokus bör ligga på det kommande föräldraskapet. Anknytningen till barnet och jämställdhet mellan föräldrarna ses som positiva aspekter av att dela lika på föräldradagarna.</p> / <p> </p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To examine fathers’ thoughts and experiences concerning parental education and male parental leave during the child´s first year. <strong>Method: </strong>An exploratory qualitative interview study. A target-oriented convenience selection was made and semi-structured interviews with nine men whom had all become fathers within the last two years were carried out. A qualitative content analysis was made. <strong>Results: </strong>Parental education should be more focused on the joint parenthood than on pregnancy and childbirth. In spite of the mothers’ perspective during the education fathers feel included. For a majority of the fathers a longer parental leave is a matter of course. Shared parental leave can facilitate the connection between the father and the child, and may increase gender equality as well as the understanding for the other parent´s situation. Breast-feeding, the parents’ working conditions and economy are aspects of importance regarding the divisions of the parental leave. Even gender roles and gender role expectations are important aspects. The fathers’ have a negative attitude regarding a statutory shared parental leave but are positive to an increased allocation of quotas. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Parenthood is seen as a joint responsibility, and a longer period of parental leave is a matter of course for a majority of the fathers. Parental education should be directed to both parents and the education should be focused on the coming parenthood. A facilitation of the connection between father and child and gender equality among the parents are positive aspects of shared parental leave. <strong></strong></p>

Syfte: Att undersöka pappors tankar och erfarenheter kring föräldrautbildning och föräldraledighet under barnets första levnadsår. Metod: Explorativ kvalitativ intervjustudie. Ett målinriktat bekvämlighetsurval gjordes och semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med nio män som blivit pappor under de senaste två åren. Data analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Föräldrautbildningen bör inriktas mer på det gemensamma föräldraskapet än på graviditet och förlossning. Trots utbildningens mammaperspektiv känner sig papporna inkluderade. En majoritet av papporna ser det som en självklarhet att ta ut en längre föräldraledighet. Positiva tankar om att dela lika på föräldradagarna är att få en nära relation med barnet och få en högre grad av jämställdhet och förståelse för varandras situation. Amning, föräldrarnas arbetsförhållanden och ekonomi är viktiga aspekter för fördelningen av föräldradagarna. Även könsroller och rollförväntningar har betydelse. Papporna är negativa till att tvingas dela helt lika men är positiva till en ökad kvotering. Slutsats: Att ta ut en längre föräldraledighet och att föräldraskapet är gemensamt ses som en självklarhet för majoriteten av papporna. Föräldrautbildningen bör riktas till båda föräldrarna och fokus bör ligga på det kommande föräldraskapet. Anknytningen till barnet och jämställdhet mellan föräldrarna ses som positiva aspekter av att dela lika på föräldradagarna. / Aim: To examine fathers’ thoughts and experiences concerning parental education and male parental leave during the child´s first year. Method: An exploratory qualitative interview study. A target-oriented convenience selection was made and semi-structured interviews with nine men whom had all become fathers within the last two years were carried out. A qualitative content analysis was made. Results: Parental education should be more focused on the joint parenthood than on pregnancy and childbirth. In spite of the mothers’ perspective during the education fathers feel included. For a majority of the fathers a longer parental leave is a matter of course. Shared parental leave can facilitate the connection between the father and the child, and may increase gender equality as well as the understanding for the other parent´s situation. Breast-feeding, the parents’ working conditions and economy are aspects of importance regarding the divisions of the parental leave. Even gender roles and gender role expectations are important aspects. The fathers’ have a negative attitude regarding a statutory shared parental leave but are positive to an increased allocation of quotas. Conclusion: Parenthood is seen as a joint responsibility, and a longer period of parental leave is a matter of course for a majority of the fathers. Parental education should be directed to both parents and the education should be focused on the coming parenthood. A facilitation of the connection between father and child and gender equality among the parents are positive aspects of shared parental leave.