Tips
Tips for Life Outside of Work
Whether you have already found work or not, here you will find tips that can help you in your daily life.
Support
Depending on the individual, it can be very important to have support outside of work, especially if you are planning to re-enter the workforce or change jobs. Here are some ways you can obtain this support:
Support in Therapy
If you are in therapy, you should definitely discuss the topic of work to receive additional support from your therapist. You can identify situations in your daily work life that might become challenging for you, and you can learn how to manage specific problems and conflicts at work.
Together, you can explore whether you should disclose your condition at work. What should you say about your illness and what should you not say? What is the best way to say it so that it feels right for you? What workplace adjustments would make your work easier? Which medications are appropriate for your situation, and could their side effects (e.g., fatigue) impact your work? How do you recognize early signs of being overwhelmed? How do you identify an impending relapse, and how can you prevent it? These questions and many more can be addressed in therapy.
Furthermore, it might be helpful if your therapist or doctor speaks with your employer. A conversation with a specialist might help your employer better understand your limitations. For this to happen, you must grant your therapist or doctor permission to speak with your employer.
What can I do personally to ensure my well-being?
It takes a lot of courage to trust yourself (again). Acceptance is also important, so don't be too hard on yourself. It's okay to fail and make mistakes sometimes. Talk to your family and friends or share your experiences in self-help groups and forums. Allowing yourself to feel your feelings is good for you. Asking for help and accepting it is an important step. The Profil Foundation is also happy Profil you. Get in touch with us!
Support Centers
- Mein Platz – Diverse day, residential, and work opportunities for people with disabilities.
- Wie geht’s dir? – Support services and practical tips.
- Die Dargebotene Hand – anonymous, competent, and always there for you.
- Pro Mente Sana – Promoting Mental Health
Forums
Legal Matters
Here you will find advice on legal questions regarding the following topics:
Securing Livelihood during Integration
There are many options for securing your livelihood during integration. However, these vary from person to person, as each situation is unique.
If you are on sick leave but still have a job, you will receive daily sickness benefits. This typically amounts to 80% of your insured earnings; however, you can only receive it for a maximum of two years, or less depending on the situation.
The IV can pay you daily allowances during integration. These daily allowances amount to 80% of the income from your last professional activity.
For integration measures from a pension, the IV pension continues to be paid instead of daily allowances.
Have you lost your job and your daily sickness benefits insurance has already ceased? Do you have a remaining work capacity of at least 20% but are not yet receiving IV benefits? Then you should register with the unemployment insurance.
The costs for integration measures are only covered in specific cases if you are receiving benefits from unemployment insurance or social assistance. Your supporting institution must submit an application for this.
Dismissal
During sick leave, you cannot be dismissed due to protected periods. The regulations are based on your employment contract. According to the Code of Obligations (OR), you are protected as follows: for one month during the first year of service after the probationary period; for two months during the second to ninth year of service; and subsequently for three months, effective at the end of each month. Dismissal is only possible outside of a protected period.
Legally Enforcing Disability-related Workplace Adjustments
Unfortunately, there is no legal entitlement to work or workplace adjustments. However, if you talk to your employer or supervisor (and possibly a job coach from Profil), it is usually possible to find a solution that is acceptable to everyone involved.
Contact Points for Legal and Social Questions
- Pro Infirmis – Legal and Social Counseling
- Pro Mente Sana – Legal and Psychosocial Counseling
- Inclusion Handicap – Legal Advice on Social Insurance
Official Factsheets
Official factsheets from the Disability Insurance, providing information on topics such as Disability Insurance measures or supplementary benefits, can be found here: www.ahv-iv.ch/de/Merkblätter-Formulare/Merkblätter
Reading Tips
Here are some reading recommendations if you wish to explore this topic further.
- «When the Mind Strikes – Mental Health in the Workplace» (Thomas Ihde-Scholl, 2015)
- «Disability Insurance – What Am I Entitled To» (Susanne Friedauer and Kaspar Gehrig, 2020)
- «The Comprehensive Applicant Handbook» (Christian Püttjer, Uwe Schnierda, 2019)
- «Inclusive Leadership – Successfully Integrating People with Disabilities into the Workplace» (Silke Becker and Manfred Otto-Albrecht, 2019)
> Free Download (PDF)
The Profil Foundation
Here you will find important documents relating to the Profil Foundation:
Contact Us
Do you have a question or would you like a consultation? Please contact us.
We look forward to hearing from you.
