Workers Age 55 and over Working with Pain. A Descriptive Interpretive Study

The Job Leeway Scale: Initial Evaluation of a Self-report Measure of Health-Related Flexibility and Latitude at Work

“…Workers can use self-regulatory processes to adjust their day-to-day work and schedules to overcome intermittent symptoms only if adequate leeway is available based on job demands and employer policies [ 6 ]. Related and overlapping concepts in the literature include informal accommodation strategies [ 9 ], margin of maneuver [ 10 ], job flexibility [ 8 , 11 , 12 ], adjustability [ 10 ], natural organizational support [ 13 ], and iterative communication-support processes between workers and their supervisors [ 14 , 15 ]. Job flexibility has, in general, been associated with improved quality of working life for employees with chronic disease [ 4 , 11 ], but the concept of job leeway may be especially salient for workers with episodic health problems.…”

“…Episodic, intermittent, and chronic health problems are a significant workplace challenge in an aging population [1][2][3], and these fluctuating symptoms put workers at risk for sickness absence, job loss, early retirement, and permanent work disability [1][2][3][4][5]. Employers are required to provide reasonable job accommodations when requested, but there is evidence that workers also find ways to leverage existing flexibility during symptom flare-ups to get their work done without having to take time off work [6][7][8]. Workers can use self-regulatory processes to adjust their day-to-day work and schedules to overcome intermittent symptoms only if adequate leeway is available based on job demands and employer policies [6].…”