Swedish Public Employment Service’s support for people with disabilities

The audit shows a deterioration over time, both in terms of the Swedish Public Employment Service’s efforts to recognise disabilities, and access to support. There are also considerable disparities between different groups. In particular, people over the age of 25 and those born outside Sweden, and those with a disability that entails impaired or limited mobility, have to wait for a long time to have their disabilities recognised.

According to the Swedish National Audit Office, many of the shortcomings are linked to organisational changes at the Swedish Public Employment Service, such as a transition to a case-based approach, digital self-service and reduced staff numbers. Neglected and overlapping system support also leads to cumbersome case processing.

While many jobseekers who have a disability need dedicated support, the audit shows that continuity in contacts with case officers has deteriorated, with the number of case officers per case having increased and jobseekers themselves being expected to pursue their own cases. The audit also shows that there are numerous challenges in recognising disabilities and support needs through digital meetings and over the phone.

Assessments on the effect of a disability on working capacity are performed neither uniformly nor equally. Although the Swedish Public Employment Service has drawn up a national approach, in which specialised teams perform additional assessments, it is used to a limited extent. Regional differences in organisation and resource allocation also mean that some groups are less able to have their disability recognised effectively.

Employment officers testify that the capacity to work of many people in the target group is too low for them to benefit from existing interventions, and that available interventions do not meet these individuals’ needs. In terms of support measures, the audit shows that only three in ten people with a recognised disability obtain special assistance within two years. Participation also varies depending on sex, age and region of birth.

Opportunities for employment with support are also affected by how the Swedish Public Employment Service deals with employer contacts. According to the Swedish National Audit Office, the agency has not sufficiently prioritised these efforts. The agency’s local knowledge and established contacts have been weakened by office closures, centralisation and reduced independent matching. The number of jobs with wage subsidies has declined significantly, partly due to deficient organisation and governance. Even though the Swedish Public Employment Service’s governance has for some time been prioritising its own employer relations, the Swedish National Audit Office assesses that it will take time to refocus its operations.

The Swedish National Audit Office finds that the Government has not been sufficiently effective in its management. Although in recent years the Government has taken measures to provide more effective support to people with disabilities, management has partly moved in different directions. Focusing on specific parts of the administrative procedure risks leading to failure to prioritise the long-term and cohesive efforts needed to improve long-term labour market conditions for this target group.

To enable more people with disabilities to find and keep a job, the Swedish National Audit Office considers that the Government needs to manage the Swedish Public Employment Service with a long-term and results-oriented approach. To achieve measures that are as effective as possible, the Swedish National Audit Office considers that more knowledge needs to be built up about what eases labour market conditions for people with disabilities, and how the Swedish Public Employment Service’s working methods and measures affect their chances of working. Since use of specific interventions for the target group does not fulfil either intentions or needs, it is the assessment of the Swedish National Audit Office that there is reason to review the regulations. To avoid people in the target group getting caught in the middle, it may also need to be clarified where the responsibility of the agency ends and where that of other actors begins.