Tackling the Crisis: The Italian Case in the E.U. Context

TABLE OF CONTENTS: The Economic Crisis in European Union. – Anti-crisis Measures in Italy: Wage Guarantee Fund; Derogations; Partial Unemployment Benefit; Welfare to Work. – References

Servizi al lavoro e regime degli accreditamenti: il lato oscuro del Jobs Act

Il superamento dell’art. 18, simbolo del tradizionale sistema di tutele del diritto del lavoro italiano, trova nella costruzione di adeguate e moderne tutele sul mercato del lavoro un punto qualificante e decisivo per valutare la bontà o meno del processo di riforma avviato dal Jobs Act. L’idea di una moderna rete di servizi al lavoro non è certo nuova e trova la sua piena emersione con la legge Biagi del 2003 che, accanto ai regimi di autorizzazione per gli operatori privati del mercato del lavoro, aveva introdotto un sistema di accreditamenti regionali secondo standard di operatività ed efficienza definiti a livello nazionale. Il sistema degli accreditamenti non è però stato implementato in modo organico e l’esistenza di una regolazione regionale non è garanzia di effettiva operatività dei servizi accreditati ed di efficienza del sistema. Questo rappresenta un grave limite rispetto a tempi e obiettivi del Jobs Act che procede speditamente sul versante della “rottamazione” delle vecchie tutele senza per contro lasciare intravedere la nascita di un sistema alternativo in grado di accompagnare i lavoratori nella transizione da una occupazione all’altra

Labor Market Measures in the Crisis and the Convergence of Social Models

Following the GDP decreases resulting from the severe economic crisis, EU member states experienced, each to a different extent, higher levels of unemployment. However, the implementation of so-called anticrisis measures limited such increases in unemployment – in some cases they were not as high as expected – in the majority of EU member states. Intending to minimize the impact of the downturn in social terms and support both companies and employees, the EU took a number of actions to drive the economic recovery and coordinate EU member states’ public interventions, with member states either adapting existing labor market policies or introducing new ones. In the context, the majority of member states launched ad hoc comprehensive “anticrisis packages” consisting in a wide range of public policy tools aimed at reducing the impact of the crisis on the labor market

Il Consiglio di Stato parmense

Il codice del processo amministrativo del 2010 nel tentativo di edificare un giusto processo sul rapporto ha riportato alla memoria i precedenti del contenzioso amministrativo degli stati preunitari travolti dalla legge abolitrice del 1865 nella misura in cui alcuni di essi avrebbero potuto anticicipare quel modello. Questo sembra essere stato il caso della Sezione del contenzioso del Consiglio di Stato di Maria Luigia, Duchessa di Parma, creato nel 1822 e perdurato senza sostanziali modifiche fino all’annessione a Casa Savoia nel 1859. Infatti quella istituzione non solo caratterizzò la forma di governo temperandone gli elementi tipici della Restaurazione come monarchia assoluta, ma assicurò anche un giudice di tutte le controversie che opponevano i privati alla pubblica amministrazione assolutamente terzo e imparziale. Ciò fu reso possibile da un lato dalla sostanziale permanenza di una classe dirigente borghese e nobiliare di elevata qualità, nonostante le pessime condizioni economiche e culturali del Ducato, profondamente influenzata dalle riforme francesi, dall’altro dall’adesione ad esse della Duchessa non realmente contrastata dal padre Francesco I Imperatore d’Austria e infine non messe in discussione neppure dal ritorno dei Borboni nel 1847. L’ esempio parmense fu però quasi del tutto ignorato dalla dottrina del tempo e successiva come pure dai legislatori dell’Unificazione e solo ora se ne comincia a tener conto. Ma il codice del 2010 ancora non sembra aver colto tutte le coraggiose novità di quello luigino. ENGLISH The Code of Administrative Procedure of 2010 trying to create a fair trial on the relation (between party and admistration) brought back memories of the previous administrative litigation of preunification states, swept up by law the 1865 that has eliminated them to the extent that some of them could have anticipate that model. This seems to be the case of the Litigation section of Council of State of Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma created in 1822 and lasted until the annexation without substantial changes to the House of Savoy in 1859. In fact, that institution not only distinguished the form of government tempering the typical elements of the Restoration as an absolute monarchy, but also assured a judge of all disputes that opposed the private to the public administration absolutely independent and impartial. This was made possible both by the substantial permanence of a bourgeois ruling class and nobiliary of high quality, in spite of the bad economic and cultural conditions of the Duchy, deeply influenced by the French reforms, on the other hand by the acceptance of these by the Duchess not really countered by his father Francis I Emperor of Austria, and finally not even called in question by the return of the Bourbons in 1847. The example of Parma, however, was almost completely ignored by the that time and subsequent doctrine as well as by legislators of Unification and only now it starts to be taken into account. But the code of 2010, still does not seem to have caught all the brave novelty of the code of Marie Louis

Efficacy of animal assisted therapy on people with mental disorders: an update on the evidence

INTRODUCTION: Animal assisted therapy (AAT) is a structured form of animal assisted intervention (AAI), which specifically adopts animals in healthcare services and education facilities, to achieve therapeutic goals. Although such interventions are widely used, nowadays, evidence supporting them is still largely lacking. A previously published review of the literature highlighted some promising effects of AAT on people presenting psychiatric disorders, though the quality of the studies included was generally low. In order to provide an update of recent evidence, the aim of this study was to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published since 2000, involving people affected by mental disorders and receiving AAT. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: The following databases were searched: CINHAL, EBSCO Psychology and Behavioural Science Collection, PubMed and Web of Science. 115 papers were obtained and screened: 28 were from CINHAL, PsycINFO and Psychology and Behavioural Science Collection altogether, 15 from PubMed and 72 from Web of Science. In addition to this, grey literature and references of already published reviews and meta-analyses on the topic were searched, resulting in the addition of 6 further articles. After screening, 10 RCTs were included in this review. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Studies involving outpatients were more frequent than those involving inpatients; sample size was generally low. The majority of studies adopted scales routinely used in clinical trials, with a good level of validity and reliability. Five out of ten studies reported significant differences in the main outcomes favouring AAT. Most of the studies did not include any follow-up; yet, where prospective data were available, the benefits of AAT appeared long lasting. Drop-out rates were higher in studies involving outpatients. However, the only trial which enrolled both inpatients and outpatients showed a higher drop-out rate among the inpatients group, possibly due to their more severe psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Though a paucity of available studies partly limits our findings, AAT seems to improve empathy, socialization and communication, and to favour therapeutic alliance among patients who have difficulties with therapeutic programs adherence. AAT appears to be a feasible and well-received intervention, potentially with few or no side effects reported. However there is a need for further studies with larger sample sizes and high-quality research standards

Fare welfare in azienda. Guida pratica per imprese, consulenti, sindacalisti, operatori

La crescente diffusione del welfare in ambito aziendale si accompagna ad una domanda altrettanto crescente da parte delle aziende di assistenza per una costruzione e implementazione di piani di welfare non improvvisati, ma ragionati, coerenti coi reali bisogni di imprese e lavoratori e integrati con i servizi presenti sul territorio. Ne consegue una richiesta di nuove professionalità e pratiche in grado di sviluppare adeguatamente tali piani di welfare. La presente Guida è pertanto realizzata trattando il tema da un punto di vista pratico e operativo con l’ambizione di contribuire alla costruzione di queste nuove professionalità, anche traducendo nella prassi la cultura di un welfare aziendale moderno che si è cercato di sviluppare attraverso l’approfondimento scientifico e progettuale nella pubblicazione di “Welfare for People. Primo rapporto su Il welfare occupazionale e aziendale in Italia” (ADAPT University Press, 2018), reso possibile grazie all’impegno dell’Osservatorio UBI Welfare. La parte I di questa Guida ha carattere introduttivo e, oltre a trattare alcuni profili definitori per contestualizzare e delineare il suo perimetro, propone riflessioni circa le funzioni e le ragioni del welfare aziendale, definisce e analizza le diverse fonti del welfare erogato in azienda e la classificazione delle prestazioni. La parte II si concentra sulla operatività della costruzione e gestione di un piano di welfare aziendale, dall’analisi della popolazione aziendale all’approfondimento delle questioni pratiche relative alla sua progettazione, attuazione e monitoraggio. È completata da linee-guida e da modelli per la redazione di regolamenti aziendali e contratti aziendali per la definizione di piani di welfare. Nella parte III si analizza come il welfare aziendale è regolato nella contrattazione collettiva del settore metalmeccanico, dal contratto collettivo nazionale ad una selezione di accordi aziendali. Le schede di sintesi offrono una rassegna di soluzioni adottate dalle imprese nell’erogazione e gestione del welfare aziendale di fonte contrattuale. La parte IV tratta delle questioni normative con particolare riferimento alla disciplina fiscale e contributiva delle diverse misure di welfare che per lo più costituiscono i panieri di welfare offerti ai lavoratori. La Guida si chiude con la parte V, consistente in un Glossario dei termini del welfare aziendale

Efficacy of serial ultrasonographic examinations in predicting return to play in agility dogs with shoulder lameness

The aim of this study is to investigate the use of shoulder ultrasound as a method of predicting the likelihood of returning to competition in agility dogs with shoulder teno-muscular injuries after a standardised rehabilitation protocol. Thirty-two agility dogs with a clinical and ultrasonographic diagnosis of shoulder teno-muscular injury were included in a prospective study with physical and ultrasound examinations at the time of diagnosis (T0) and at two (T2), four (T4) and six (T6) months; during this period, the dogs received rehabilitation treatments. The endpoint of the study was to obtain information regarding participation in agility competitions 12 months after diagnosis, based on telephone interviews with the owners. The clinical lameness score (CLS) and the ultrasound lesion score (ULS) were used as outcome measurements. The CLS indicated partial recovery from a shoulder injury at T2 (78%), while the ULS indicated no satisfactory recovery at T2 in any patient. At 4 months, the CLS alone was not a valuable predictor of full recovery from a shoulder injury in agility dogs. Relative Risk indicated that, at T2, ultrasound was 23.8 times more valuable in identifying a shoulder lesion as compared to clinical lameness score (CLS), and it was 2.53 times more valuable at T4

Psychometric properties of the Patient Dignity Inventory in an acute psychiatric ward: an extension study of the preliminary validation

Background: During the last decades, dignity has been an emerging issue in mental health since its ethical and therapeutic implications became known. This study is an extension of the preliminary validation of the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) in a psychiatric setting, originally designed for assessing perceived dignity in terminal cancer patients. Methods: From October 21, 2015 to December 31, 2016, we administered the Italian PDI to all patients hospitalized in an acute psychiatric ward, who provided their consent and completed it at discharge (n=165). We performed Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and principal factor analysis. We administered other scales concomitantly to analyze the concurrent validity of PDI. We applied stepwise multiple linear regression to identify the patients’ demographic and clinical variables related to the PDI score. Results: Our response rate was 93%, with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient=0.94). The factorial analysis showed three factors with eigenvalue .1, which explained .80% of total variance: 1) “loss of self-identity and anxiety for the future”, 2) “concerns for social dignity and spiritual life”, and 3) “loss of personal autonomy”. The PDI and the three factor scores were positively and significantly correlated with the Hamilton Scales for Depression and Anxiety but not with other scale scores. Among patients’ variables, “suicide risk” and “insufficient social and economic condition” were positively and significantly correlated with the PDI total score. Conclusion: The PDI can be a reliable tool to assess patients’ dignity perception in a psychiatric setting, which suggests that both social and clinical severe conditions are closely related to dignity loss