Racism: A neglected piece of the work disability management puzzle

Abstract

Racism refers to a system of oppression in which status, power, resources, and other societal goods are unequally distributed on the basis of race or ethnicity. Racism plays a key role in shaping labour market outcomes and is a fundamental driver of health inequalities in the working population. Despite well-established links between race, work, and health, limited research has explicitly addressed the impact of racism on the labor market re-integration of workers who sustain an injury or illness, representing a critical evidence gap in the field of work disability management. In this commentary, we highlight the importance of examining racism and racial inequities in research on return-to-work (RTW) and offer tangible strategies for better addressing these issues.