Lower disability risk reported for welfare sector personnel in Keski-Pohjanmaa, Finland

In the Keski-Pohjanmaa region of Finland, the risk of disability among welfare sector personnel is lower than in the rest of the country, according to projections from the Municipal Pension Insurance organization. The assessment indicates that 2.6 percent of employees in this welfare district may face the risk of disability retirement within the next three years. This could lead to approximately 100 new cases of disability pensions in the coming years.

In contrast, the nationwide average indicates that 2.8 percent of personnel across all welfare districts are at risk of falling into disability retirement. The lower risk in Keski-Pohjanmaa is attributed to the relatively young demographic of its social and health care workforce compared to other areas.

Last year, the financial burden of disability on welfare areas across Finland amounted to around €544 million. Notably, half of these costs were linked to long-term absences lasting more than 30 days. The risk of disability significantly increases with age, with individuals over 54 facing an average risk of eight percent, whereas those under 35 have a much lower risk of merely 0.5 percent.