Denmark's new Employment Minister Kaare Dybvad has declared the current wait times for work injury cases 'completely unacceptable.' He made this statement just two days after taking office.
The average processing time for claims has increased. Cases taking over two years have doubled instead of decreasing. Over 1,000 Danes have waited more than 10 years for resolution.
Dybvad acknowledged systemic problems but expressed confidence in improvement. 'The system has been wrong, and it's still wrong with too many unresolved cases,' he said.
He predicts the system will be fixed within two years. Current backlogs are decreasing from 60,000 to 44,000 cases. The goal is 30,000 active cases by 2027.
The minister aims for average wait times to drop to 7 months for standard cases. Complex occupational capacity loss cases should take 20 months.
Why do some cases take decades? Both injured workers and employer insurance companies can appeal decisions. This legal protection creates lengthy processes.
Dybvad defends the appeal system despite delays. 'It's a good principle in Denmark that you can appeal a public authority decision,' he stated.
Opposition politicians call the situation unreasonable. Conservative spokesperson Dina Raabjerg wants solutions that maintain legal security. Social Democrat counterpart Karsten Hønge describes years-long waits as 'inconceivable.'
The agency handling these cases promises to reduce overdue cases to 4,000 by New Year. This target was missed last year when numbers actually increased to 8,000 long-delayed cases.
Hønge remains skeptical but hopeful. 'The guarantees we received today must be followed through,' he emphasized.
Denmark's parliamentary ombudsman has also介入 specific cases about extended processing times.
Work injury claims cover two main categories. Workplace accidents involve physical or psychological damage from specific incidents. Occupational diseases develop from longer-term workplace exposures like hearing loss from noisy environments.
The minister's optimism seems genuine but faces real challenges. Reducing backlogs while maintaining appeal rights requires careful balance that has eluded previous administrations.