Emile Tompa is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), a not-for-profit organization that conducts and shares research to support policy-makers, employers and workers in creating healthy, safe and inclusive work environments. A labour and heath economist, Tompa holds appointments as Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at McMaster University and as Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. He is Executive Director of IDEA and co-lead of IDEA’s Hub 1, Workplace Systems and Partnerships.

Tompa’s current research focuses on analyzing the nature and impact of disability, health and safety systems, conducting economic evaluations of workplace interventions for primary and secondary prevention, and understanding the impact of labour market experiences (particularly precarious employment) on health and well-being. Prior to the IDEA project, Tompa led another multi-stakeholder partnership, the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (2013-2021). Through that role, he was (and remains) a member of the Disability and Work in Canada Steering Committee that published the Pan-Canadian Strategy on Disability and Work in 2019. Tompa also led a large-scale community-university research initiative called Research Action Alliance on the Consequences of Work Injury (2006-2012).

Tompa sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, on the Canada Revenue Agency’s Disability Advisory Committee, on Accessibility Standards Canada’s Technical Committee on Employment (CAN-ASC 1.1), and on the CSA Group’s Technical Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Trades. Tompa also chairs the CSA Group Technical Committee on Work Disability Management System (CAN-CSA Z1011), and vice-chairs the CSA Group Technical Committee on Work Disability Management in Paramedic Organizations (CAN-CSA Z1011.1).

Tompa has a PhD in labour and health economics from McMaster University, an MBA from the University of British Columbia, and an MA in economics from the University of Toronto.

“I believe building the confidence and knowledge of workplace stakeholders to apply evidence-informed guidance and best practices in equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility is the best way to improve employment outcomes for persons with disabilities. This will ensure working-age persons with disabilities have equitable access to sustainable and rewarding career opportunities. It will also help address labour shortages by tapping into an underused pool of talent and reduce the strain on social safety net programs.”