Benefits of Public Services for the Employment in Flexicurity* implementation: To help in transitions during the Crisis Conference : « Flexicurity in times of Crisis » - Prague March 25 th -26 th 2009 Annie Gauvin Director of Studies, Assessment, and International Matters Employment pole - France *flexibility ad social securities /translators note/

2 SPE* intervention framework and the common standpoint from December 2008 Four Flexicurity components with impacts on particular SPE activities Flexicurity strengthens SPE role Challenges in times of Crisis * Public Services for Employment /translators note/

3 SPE Intervention Framework Statement on Public Services mission for the Employment in Lathi in 2006 « Public Services for the Employment have a special mission on the Labour Market – to provide free services to employment seekers and employers, the aim of which is to balance the supply and demand, and to contribute to higher transparency on the Labour Market» Variability of national situations on the Labour Market and in institutions Common principles : network significance, proximity, accessibility, care of persons in greatest difficulties

4 SPE Intervention Framework Common standpoint was adopted at the meeting of SPE representatives on December 11 th – 12 th It is stated in the report «Flexicurity Mission» SPE: possibility to actually interfere in particular implementation of Flexicurity principles Challenges in times of Crisis To be proactive, to react immediately to the Labour Market situation by its interventions To simplify and secure transitions between individual employments and between fields of activities To provide immediately services to persons who just lost their jobs, to facilitate their job search To take care of the most vulnerable persons

5 SPE Intervention Context Demographic perspectives, economical changes, innovations of production processes Complex and contrast situations on the European Labour Market Manpower shortage Lack of employment Employment rate too low Unemployment rate too high Current situation Substantial responses on Labour Markets Increasing unemployment and decreasing working positions Very high decline in job opportunities Risk of interconnection with structural unemployment

6 4 F lexicurity Components with impacts on SPE Operation : In both, the Period of Economic Growth and Crisis Active Labour Market policies Strengthened in times of Crisis Central SPE role Contractual labour relations: impacts on the scope and nature of working position and manpower flows Loss of employment conditions Types of job opportunities Global lifetime education strategies appeal to SPE Orientation and capacity abilities for short-term trainings in existing jobs Providing training with the aim of permanent employment, and training for future employment Modern social protection system: logics of balanced rights and duties of individuals and employment agents Support of reasonable income during transition periods Strengthening services of employment agents

7 Flexicurit y Strengthens SPE Role : 6 Specific Areas of Operation (1/3) Helping job applicants, and monitoring programs for job applicants To intervene as soon as possible To apply differentiated and personal approach To help mainly persons with greatest difficulties Using multi-channel approach methods To develop self-service Support of transitions between individual working positions To guide and intervene against restructuring To provide transparency of vacancies To provide « management » of growing and differentiating mobility To supplement associated services with custom-made training

8 Flexicurit y Strengthens SPE Role : 6 Specific Areas of Operation (2/3) Activating passive measures and balanced monitoring of rights and duties of job applicants To define active search of working positions To condition payments of benefits To connects Employment Bureaus/Agencies with authorities providing unemployment benefits Services offered to employers for recruitment To provide employers with professional negotiators for their recruitment To foresee manpower needs and to identify new sources of working positions To develop services adjusted to employers To promptly satisfy job offers

9 Flexicurit y Strengthens SPE Role : 6 Specific Areas of Operation (3/3) Specific services for target persons To expand and deepen the offer of services for persons most distant to the Labour Market Young people, seniors, season employees, handicapped persons, persons very distant to employment, workers with low qualification To draw from sources of inactive manpower Information services and support of geographic and occupational mobility To inform on the Labour Market and vacancies in order to facilitate employment exchange and recruitments To develop mobility support EURES : information on the European Labour Market; assistance for applicants and agents; cross-border services

10 Challenges : SPE mus t adjust Methods of its Operation and its Organisation To work with other participants (private services, non-governmental organisations, educational and training organisations) To provide territorial coherence of interventions (with business and social partners) To endeavour after internal development of agents competencies and adjustment of organisations To better assess efficiency and impacts of its measures To strengthen SPE benefits for defining Labour Market policies

11 Challenges : SPE benefits in times of Crisis Measures Maintenance of employment; keeping on the job (partial activities) Assistance in creating working positions Retraining supports using specific programs Expanding the portfolio of services for new customers Maintaining the contact with employment in job applicants Searching sources of working positions Increasing educational and e-learnign capacities Developing decentralised centres in disadvantaged areas Support in job search: strengthened or adjusted unemployment benefits Strengthening SPE means (staff; agencies) Increasing tax relief opportunities and interventions in partnership with other participants

12 Thank you for your attention. Continuing Work of SPE Representatives To continue in considerations emerging from the common standpoint Ti identify good practice To work up the question of SPE benefits to Flexicurity in times of Crisis