Case Study
Company and employee
The senior speech therapist, 41, is responsible for advising speech therapists at a speech facility. She has worked there 20 hours a week for 17 years. She assesses the children's speech disorders and, together with the speech therapist in charge, determines a treatment plan. There is a works council and the management has hired an external disability manager (a specialist in supporting employees with illnesses who draws up and accompanies action plans together with an integration team), who is called in regularly and on a case-by-case basis for discussions as part of the company integration management (BEM). The BEM has therefore been introduced.
Invitation to a BEM information meeting
After the head speech therapist had been ill for four months, the disability manager invited her to a BEM information meeting. She gladly agrees and immediately makes an appointment with her. During the conversation, she tells us that she has suffered a hearing loss and now needs digital Hearing aids, which will cost a lot of money. She does not have this money. She has already asked the personnel office whether she can be granted an advance or a loan. That has been denied.
The disability manager can help. She knows that health insurance will cover the cost of digital hearing aids if you need them for work. The senior speech therapist can make an application for services for participation in working life (according to § 49 SGB IX).
The senior speech therapist is happy to hear this, because without an appropriate hearing aid she can no longer do her job. The disability manager describes the application procedure to her.
Necessary underlays to apply for a Hearing aidss are:
1. A prescription for digital Hearing aids from the treating medical professional
2. A hearing chart from a hearing aids acoustician
3. A cost estimate for the required working aids
Attention: Do not sign a waiver (see judgement of the Federal Social Court BSG file number B 3 KR 20/08 R)! Since this judgement, all applications for hearing aids are now submitted to the health insurance fund.
4. Fill out the application form G 130 from the responsible pension insurance carrier
5. A statement in which it is explained that without the technical assistance the workplace is in danger and a dismissal threatens.
6. Tip: The statement should be factual and comprehensible to third parties. The better this is done, the greater the chance of success.
Invitation to a BEM information meeting
After the head speech therapist had been ill for four months, the disability manager invited her to a BEM information meeting. She gladly agrees and immediately makes an appointment with her. During the conversation, she tells us that she has suffered a hearing loss and now needs digital Hearing aids, which will cost a lot of money. She does not have this money. She has already asked the personnel office whether she can be granted an advance or a loan. That has been denied.
The disability manager can help. She knows that health insurance will cover the cost of digital hearing aids if you need them for work. The senior speech therapist can make an application for services for participation in working life (according to § 49 SGB IX).
The senior speech therapist is happy to hear this, because without an appropriate hearing aid she can no longer do her job. The disability manager describes the application procedure to her.
Necessary underlays to apply for a Hearing aidss are:
1. A prescription for digital Hearing aids from the treating medical professional
2. A hearing chart from a hearing aids acoustician
3. A cost estimate for the required working aids
Attention: Do not sign a waiver (see judgement of the Federal Social Court BSG file number B 3 KR 20/08 R)! Since this judgement, all applications for hearing aids are now submitted to the health insurance fund.
4. Fill out the application form G 130 from the responsible pension insurance carrier
5. A statement in which it is explained that without the technical assistance the workplace is in danger and a dismissal threatens.
6. Tip: The statement should be factual and comprehensible to third parties. The better this is done, the greater the chance of success.
Further technical aids in the workplace
After this procedure has been clarified in the discussion with the disability manager, it is time to consider what else the senior speech therapist needs for her work. What about the telephone? Is she able to use the phone satisfactorily? She needs a telephone system adapted to hearing-impaired people that is compatible with the existing system in the facility. The senior speech therapist also travels a lot to other facilities. A mobile telephone for people with a hearing impairment is therefore necessary. She also submits an application for severe disability.
In this case, the technical assistive products, telephone system and mobile telephone for people with a hearing impairment, are applied for from the pension insurance provider. Within six weeks, she has the approval of cost coverage.
Application for equalization
Her application for severe disability was granted with a GdB (degree of disability) of 30. An application for equal status is now submitted to the employment agency. This is also approved. This means that the speech therapist will have the same rights as people with a severe disability (with the exception of an extended vacation entitlement of five days, and an early pension entitlement will also no longer apply in the case of equality). The speech therapist's task now is to first get used to the new assistive products.
All not satisfactory to fill the workplace
Four months have passed when the senior speech therapist asks again, via the HR department, for an appointment with the disability manager. Actually, she had expected a success report from the speech therapist, but it turned out differently. She is at her wits' end, she says. She is able to hear in everyday life to a certain extent, but she is often unable to identify the children's speech disorders. As a result, she can no longer perform her work responsibly. She has already told the managing director this. He, in turn, replied in a paternal yet detached manner that she had studied and was capable, so she would surely find another job. The speech therapist sees this as a threat to her workplace.
Developing your own goals and activating external support
What wishes and ideas does the senior speech therapist have? Above all, she wants to stay active and work. The disability manager then suggests a discussion with a representative of the integration or inclusion office. Section 167 (1) of the German Social Code IX stipulates this possibility and recommends involving the representative for severely disabled persons and the integration or inclusion office as early as possible in the event of problems in working life.
Offer of a new workplace
It is agreed that the disability manager will arrange a meeting with the speech therapist, the company and a representative from the integration / inclusion office. The appointment begins very dynamically, as the company immediately offers the speech therapist a new workplace. In the facility, a counseling psychologist is retiring soon, who, like the speech therapist, works 20 hours per week, whether she is confident in the tasks associated with psychological counseling? She doesn't see any problems, she can hear and understand everything. She is initially pleased about the unexpected perspective. The company wants to quickly submit a pad for filling the position to the works council, and then she can start.
In this case, the technical assistive products, telephone system and mobile telephone for people with a hearing impairment, are applied for from the pension insurance provider. Within six weeks, she has the approval of cost coverage.
Application for equalization
Her application for severe disability was granted with a GdB (degree of disability) of 30. An application for equal status is now submitted to the employment agency. This is also approved. This means that the speech therapist will have the same rights as people with a severe disability (with the exception of an extended vacation entitlement of five days, and an early pension entitlement will also no longer apply in the case of equality). The speech therapist's task now is to first get used to the new assistive products.
All not satisfactory to fill the workplace
Four months have passed when the senior speech therapist asks again, via the HR department, for an appointment with the disability manager. Actually, she had expected a success report from the speech therapist, but it turned out differently. She is at her wits' end, she says. She is able to hear in everyday life to a certain extent, but she is often unable to identify the children's speech disorders. As a result, she can no longer perform her work responsibly. She has already told the managing director this. He, in turn, replied in a paternal yet detached manner that she had studied and was capable, so she would surely find another job. The speech therapist sees this as a threat to her workplace.
Developing your own goals and activating external support
What wishes and ideas does the senior speech therapist have? Above all, she wants to stay active and work. The disability manager then suggests a discussion with a representative of the integration or inclusion office. Section 167 (1) of the German Social Code IX stipulates this possibility and recommends involving the representative for severely disabled persons and the integration or inclusion office as early as possible in the event of problems in working life.
Offer of a new workplace
It is agreed that the disability manager will arrange a meeting with the speech therapist, the company and a representative from the integration / inclusion office. The appointment begins very dynamically, as the company immediately offers the speech therapist a new workplace. In the facility, a counseling psychologist is retiring soon, who, like the speech therapist, works 20 hours per week, whether she is confident in the tasks associated with psychological counseling? She doesn't see any problems, she can hear and understand everything. She is initially pleased about the unexpected perspective. The company wants to quickly submit a pad for filling the position to the works council, and then she can start.
Additional qualification is necessary
Later, several hours after the interview, the speech therapist begins to have doubts. Is she up to the task? After all, she has no psychological qualification, neither formally nor in her experience. She then expresses these doubts in a conversation with the disability manager. Together they consider whether further training would be useful. To do this, they ask the company for the job description and compare it with her knowledge, skills and experience. They come to the conclusion that some additional qualifications are necessary, which she can acquire at the university.
Once again, an application for benefits for participation in working life (§ 49 SGB IX) is submitted to the pension insurance provider. Here, too, as with the assistive products, a cost estimate is obtained and the application (G 130) is filled out, along with a statement. The senior speech therapist justifies why she is at risk of losing her job despite the digital Hearing aids. She enclosed a copy of the company's written offer and job description, justifying and substantiating the need for additional training. The application is successful. The full costs are covered by the pension insurance provider.
Benefits to the company
But that's not all: the qualification takes place in block instruction - ten days (two weeks) in a row every three months. During the rest of the time, she gains practical experience. She accompanies her colleagues to consultations and is already giving advice. However, this is not yet possible on her own. One colleague stays on. During this time, however, their actual work is left undone. In order to compensate for this, the company applies for an integration grant from the pension insurance provider (in accordance with §50 SGB IX).
This application is also successful and the company is reimbursed half of the speech therapist's salary for one year. The two colleagues who are responsible for the induction increase their weekly working hours for one year. This ensures proper induction without additional workload for the colleagues.
Once again, an application for benefits for participation in working life (§ 49 SGB IX) is submitted to the pension insurance provider. Here, too, as with the assistive products, a cost estimate is obtained and the application (G 130) is filled out, along with a statement. The senior speech therapist justifies why she is at risk of losing her job despite the digital Hearing aids. She enclosed a copy of the company's written offer and job description, justifying and substantiating the need for additional training. The application is successful. The full costs are covered by the pension insurance provider.
Benefits to the company
But that's not all: the qualification takes place in block instruction - ten days (two weeks) in a row every three months. During the rest of the time, she gains practical experience. She accompanies her colleagues to consultations and is already giving advice. However, this is not yet possible on her own. One colleague stays on. During this time, however, their actual work is left undone. In order to compensate for this, the company applies for an integration grant from the pension insurance provider (in accordance with §50 SGB IX).
This application is also successful and the company is reimbursed half of the speech therapist's salary for one year. The two colleagues who are responsible for the induction increase their weekly working hours for one year. This ensures proper induction without additional workload for the colleagues.
Summary
This is a clear example of how many possibilities can be used to maintain participation in working life. The lead speech therapist has adapted well to her new specialty. Her hearing limitations have not affected her new job. With the good will of the employer, the services of the pension insurance provider and competent advice, a workplace suitable for severely disabled persons was created, which the speech therapist will probably be able to perform until her retirement.
Source
This is a practical example from the Institute for Personnel Development and Coaching (ipeco) from the book: Das Betriebliche Eingliederungsmanagement - published by W. Bertelsman Verlag (wbv).
ICF Items
Reference Number:
Pb/110872
Last Update: 1 Sep 2022