ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Rehabil. Sci.
Sec. Work Rehabilitation
This article is part of the Research TopicPersonalized Assessments and Interventions in Vocational RehabilitationView all articles
Innovation through Networking: The Single Contact Points for Employers in the German Vocational Rehabilitation and Participation System
Provisionally accepted
- Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
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Introduction: The German vocational rehabilitation and participation system is highly complex due to fragmented legal responsibilities and institutional structures. To address this and improve labor market inclusion for people with severe disabilities, Single Contact Points for Employers (Einheitliche Ansprechstellen für Arbeitgeber [EAA]) were established in 2022. The EAA are legally mandated, provider-independent entities that support employers in hiring and retaining employees with disabilities. The article analyzes the network structure of the EAA within the vocational rehabilitation and participation system, how the structure is evaluated, and which partners are most relevant to the EAA. Methods: A network analysis was conducted through egocentric network maps (N = 20) with EAA consultants, online surveys of EAA consultants (N = 18), and their key network partners (N =123). Additionally, N = 7 guided expert interviews (5 with employers, 2 with EAA supervisors) and three focus groups of 3-6 people each (1 with EAA consultants, 1 with EAA supervisors, and 1 with network partners) were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to assess the structure and quality of cooperation. Results: The EAA work closely with policy actors from the vocational rehabilitation and participation system who provide advice and services for participation in work, such as Integration Services, Employment Agencies, and Specialist Agencies. These collaborations are characterized by mutual information exchange and generally positive cooperation. Actors from the economy, civil society, and academic sector are underrepresented in the EAA's overall network. Employers' associations were rarely named as key partners, and civil society organizations were absent. Discussion: The EAA's strong integration into policy networks underscores their institutional relevance. However, their limited ties to economic and civil entities suggest a constrained capacity for innovation. This pattern reflects both the strengths of their legal mandate and the challenges of acting independently within a highly structured system. Expanding their relational scope could foster more holistic solutions for inclusive employment.
Keywords: Single Contact Points for Employers1, system of vocational rehabilitation andparticipation2, social innovation3, employer counseling4, mixed methods5
Received: 04 Jul 2025; Accepted: 20 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 York, Lamb, Schulze, Jochmaring, Kuhn and Pelka. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jana York, jana.york@tu-dortmund.de
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