2012年-世界发展银行全球_Public_Employment_Services_and_Activation_Policies_143页_2mb

报告摘要

Summary of "Public Employment Services, and Activation Policies"

Core Content

This discussion paper explores the role of Public Employment Services (PES) and Activation Policies in addressing labor market challenges, particularly in emerging market economies and developing countries. It emphasizes the importance of incentives and sanctions in encouraging jobseekers to engage in labor market programs and improve their employability. The paper also highlights the institutional constraints of PES, the variability of activation strategies, and the target groups that are most affected by these policies.

Main Viewpoints

Activation Policies aim to increase the activity of jobseekers and improve their employability through a combination of incentives and sanctions.
The essence of activation is often based on the principle of mutual obligations, where jobseekers must comply with certain conditions to receive benefits or services.
Public Employment Services (PES) play a central role in the implementation of activation policies, offering a range of services such as placement, counseling, training, and wage subsidies.
Incentives include financial support, training opportunities, and assistance for self-employment, while sanctions may involve disqualification from benefits or exclusion from unemployment registers.
Institutional constraints of PES include limited funding, understaffing, fragmented networks, lack of modern ICT, and poor program evaluation.
Target groups include the long-term unemployed, youth, low-educated individuals, and members of national minorities, who often face multiple barriers to employment.

Key Information

I. Employment Services in Support of Activation

PES are responsible for delivering employment services to jobseekers and labor market programs.
These services include placement, counseling, specialized programs, ICT tools, and employer services.
A flexicurity approach is promoted, which combines flexibility in the labor market with security through active labor market policies.
In many countries, especially in Europe, PES focus on preventive and proactive measures, such as early profiling of jobseekers, personalized follow-up, and active labor market interventions.
In transition countries, PES emerged in the early 1990s to manage the labor market adjustments due to privatization and restructuring.

II. Incentives for Participation in ALMPs

Incentives for jobseekers include training programs, wage subsidies, public works, and self-employment support.
These incentives are designed to increase jobseeker participation in ALMPs and improve their employability.
Special target groups (e.g., youth, long-term unemployed) are often given special attention in ALMPs.
Incentives for employers include financial support for hiring jobseekers and participating in ALMPs.

III. Eligibility for Unemployment Benefits

Eligibility criteria for unemployment benefits vary by country, but often require active jobsearch behavior and participation in ALMPs.
The coverage of jobseekers in unemployment protection schemes is limited in many developing countries.
Incentives for receiving benefits are often tied to participation in programs or compliance with rules.
Non-contributory unemployment assistance schemes exist in some countries, especially in low-income regions.

IV. Sanctions

Sanctions include denial of benefits, exclusion from unemployment registers, and limited access to services.
The number and type of sanctions vary by country, depending on the institutional capacity of PES to monitor and enforce rules.
In some countries, sanctions are applied for not meeting activation requirements, such as not participating in jobsearch or training programs.

V. Challenges in Activation Policies

Low registration rates of unemployed individuals in many developing countries, leading to limited reach of PES services.
High staff caseloads in some countries (e.g., Kosovo and Syria) prevent personalized job intermediation.
Limited institutional capacity and underdeveloped programs hinder the effectiveness of activation strategies.
Multiple barriers to employment, including lack of skills, information gaps, mobility constraints, and personal challenges (e.g., domestic violence, childcare issues), affect jobseekers' ability to participate in programs.

VI. Country-Specific Insights

In Belarus, the placement rate was high due to a large number of vacancies.
In Estonia, PES had a minimal role in job placements, as most workers found jobs through personal and family networks.
In MENA countries, skills enhancement programs often benefit highly-educated individuals, exacerbating inequalities in labor market access.
In ECA countries, staff caseloads are extremely high, limiting the ability of PES to provide effective support.

Conclusion

The paper concludes that while activation policies are a key tool for improving labor market outcomes, their effectiveness is constrained by institutional limitations, limited resources, and high caseloads. Incentives and sanctions are central to the design and implementation of these policies, but their application varies across countries. Strengthening PES and improving institutional capacity are critical to the success of activation strategies.

Key Tables and Figures

Table 1: Shows the number of unemployed, registered jobseekers, and PES staff in selected MENA countries, 2009.
Table 2: Lists expenditures on labor market policies (LMP) in EU10 countries, 2008 and 2009.
Table 3: Provides employment tax rates in selected countries, 2008–2010.
Table 4: Shows labor market policy expenditure by type of action in selected EU countries, 2009.
Table 5: Examines the efficacy of ALMPs in selected countries.
Table 6: Details labor categories in the EU27, 2010.
Table 7: Lists special target groups for employment services in selected countries.
Table 8: Outlines the setting up of individual action plans and their coverage.
Table 9: Defines a suitable job in employment promotion legislation.
Table 10: Compares employment characteristics of self-employment subsidy applicants in Serbia.
Table 11: Lists cash benefits and other entitlements to the unemployed in ECA countries.
Table 12: Shows outflow of registered unemployed in Estonia, 2010.
Table 13: Details reasons for termination of unemployment status and re-registration terms in selected countries.
Figure 1: Compares the ratio of jobseekers placed in jobs to the average number of registered jobseekers in selected countries.
Figure 2: Illustrates how workers find jobs in the MENA region.
Figure 3: Shows staff caseloads in selected ECA countries, end-2009.
Figure 4: Displays the registered jobseekers-to-vacancy ratio in selected countries, December 2009.
Figure 5: Compares the ratio of registered unemployed to total unemployed by labor force survey data, 2009.