A limb to stand on? A scoping review of employability assessment in Australian total and permanent disability insurance claims

Abstract

Purpose: Employability assessment helps in deciding to pay or decline Australian total and permanent disability insurance claims, yet it has not been critically examined. This paper reviews employability assessment from forensic vocational assessment, life insurance/superannuation, and legal perspectives.

Methods: In a scoping review, we searched six multidisciplinary databases and various industry-specific resources. Items pertinent to forensic employability/vocational assessment and life insurance total and permanent disability claims were included. Return-to-work assessment, the vocational assessor, medical or functional evaluation, and case law items were excluded. Quality appraisal measures were used for research studies and other items. From 104 full-text reviews, 39 items were included for thematic synthesis from the three perspectives of interest.

Results: Our review found that employability assessment is derived from forensic vocational assessment, but methodology differs in claimant contact and psychosocial aspects. Employability assessment practice is informed by policy, market changes, and legal interpretation. Assessors may work for opposing sides in forensic or indirect settings therefore high standards and credentials must prevail.

Conclusions: Foundational research into the effectiveness of employability assessment and the experience of claimants is warranted. Future research into methodology, assessor credentials, and legal aspects will broaden understanding of this relatively new topic.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Employability assessment is an emergent and hitherto unexamined model that operates in the multi-billion-dollar Australian total and permanent disability insurance market.

• Total and permanent disability insurance policies and their legal interpretation are ever-changing and substantially inform employability assessment practice.

• Employability assessment lacks methodology and variables that are common elements in proven forensic vocational assessment models in the United States.

• Training and credentialing of rehabilitation professionals who conduct employability assessments are required to withstand legal scrutiny and meet international forensic standards.

Keywords:

• Life insurance
• forensic
• medicolegal
• vocational expert
• vocational rehabilitation
• lump sum benefit

Disclosure statement

The authors report no declarations of interest.