Resolution of an open meeting on work capacity assessment

On September 20, 2017, the Socialist Party of Iceland (Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands) held an open meeting on work capacity assessment, which took place at Sjálfsbjörg's premises at Hátún 12 in Reykjavík. Presentations were given by Eiríkur Smith, disability scholar, Sigríður Hanna Ingólfsdóttir, social worker at ÖBÍ, and Ásta Dís Guðjónsdóttir, chairman of Sjálfsbjörg in the Capital Region and coordination manager of Pepp-Ísland. Katrín Baldursdóttir, labor market specialist, chaired the meeting and led the discussions after the presentations.

At the end of the meeting, the following resolution was adopted:

Work capacity assessment is an issue concerning the fundamental living conditions of disabled people. Disabled people have the right to participate in decisions about their own living conditions, just like other people in a democratic society. If Icelandic authorities intend to implement work capacity assessment, they must take full account of the views, proposals, and reasoning of the Icelandic Disability Alliance (Öryrkjabandalag Íslands). Special reference should be made to the report „Active Society“ from 2016, which is extremely well-prepared, professionally executed, and reflects the legitimate demands of disabled people.

The meeting specifically reiterates the following demands:

• That the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities be enacted into law in this country and the Optional Protocol ratified.
• That a ban on discrimination in the labor market, including against disabled people, be enshrined in law.
• That work capacity assessment, if implemented, be subject to administrative law and that the results of individual work capacity assessments be reasoned and appealable to a higher authority.
• That the implementation of work capacity assessment, if it occurs, be supported by specific and appropriate public measures to meet the needs of disabled people in the labor market.

Reykjavík, September 20, 2017.