Integrating social protection and digital platforms for workforce reintegration of disabled workers: A hexahelix approach

Abstract

Background: Workers with permanent total disability face high risks of job loss, long-term income insecurity, and social exclusion, while existing social protection in Indonesia remains largely short-term and compensatory. This study examines regulatory and institutional gaps in disability protection, the limitations of Employment Injury and Unemployment Insurance, and explores optimizing the SiapKerja digital platform through cross-sector collaboration to enhance inclusive workforce reintegration. Methods: This research employs a qualitative literature review by synthesizing national regulations, official institutional documents, and relevant academic literature on social protection, disability-inclusive employment, and digital labor market platforms. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in policy design, implementation constraints, and reintegration mechanisms. Findings: The analysis reveals three main challenges: exclusion of workers with permanent total disability from unemployment insurance benefits limits income continuity and access to labor market services; employment injury insurance benefits are predominantly lump-sum and insufficient for long-term economic resilience; and utilization of Return-to-Work programs remains minimal due to weak referral systems, limited adaptive training capacity, and low employer participation. Additionally, SiapKerja has not yet been designed as disability-friendly and lacks integration with JKK and Return-to-Work data, reducing its effectiveness as a career reintegration tool. From a public value perspective, fragmented governance and non-inclusive digital design constrain equitable access to skills development and decent work for injured workers with disabilities. Conclusion: An integrated, career-based return-to-work ecosystem is required to shift social protection from passive compensation toward active reintegration. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study proposes a hexahelix collaboration model that integrates social protection data, disability adaptive vocational training, inclusive employers, and an upgraded SiapKerja platform featuring a dedicated disability mode, automatic enrollment, and capability-based job matching supported by progressive employer incentives.