1. Flemish Public Employment & Vocational Training Services
VDAB
Flemish Public Employment & Vocational Training Services
VDAB

2. Impact of the recession
Unemployment in Flanders 2008 – 2010: +25,1%
Received vacancies by PES 2008 – 2010:
-12,7%
Sectors: mostly industry and construction
Unemployment: Men and youth
Vacancies: 2009 – 21,5%
Sectors: textiel en automobiel (GM!!), uitzend

3. WIP Work and investment plan Flemish Government
To control the economic crisis
Pro-active policy for the labour market with attention to competences, less favoured groups
Durably reinforce employers/enterprises, employees and jobseekers during the crisis
Comprehensive approach
Long-term unemployment
Action 50+
Vulnerable groups
Vocational traning
Training on the job
Employers
Restructuring
Uitbreidingen van bestaande projecten

4. Comprehensive approach
Comprehensive approach = provide each jobseeker with a suitable offer in time
Suitable offer = mediation (virtual, collective, individual), guidance or training based on individual needs

5. Comprehensive approach
1 month
5 months
<25 years
9 months
25-50 years
Registration
When
necessary
Need for extra help or on demand of the jobseeker
Automatically matching and sending of job offers
Correct
personal file
+ matching
for vacancies
Screening +
Mediation
(call centre
or counsellor)
Evaluation
VDAB
Counsellor
Guidance
- counselling towards work
- with vocational training,
work practice, job search
assistance,…

6. Long term unemployment
1. Orientation centre: re-activate the jobseeker through information, orientation and motivation in a collective session
2. Evaluation follows immediately
+ Refer to not-labour-market-oriented services if necessary: activating guidance for jobseekers with medical, mental, psychical or psychiatric problems by specialized organizations
3. Intensive guidance
+ Long-term unemployment due to problems not related to the labour market (medical, mental, psychic, and psychiatric problems): screening and guidance by specialized organisations (tender)
Begeleiding bestaat uit: OC; staat de werkzoekende ver van de arbeidsmarkt, dan volgen eerst remediërende acties of wordt doorverwezen naar HV

7. Long-term unemployment
Workstudio’s for youngsters (<25y): to keep them active and improve their competences. Collective sessions and training period in enterprises
Orientating Guidance: similar to orientation centre and intensive guidance
Projects for work experience: experience on the job in one or more enterprises and guidance towards regular labour market.
→ ESF: by private organizations

8. Action 50+
Collaboration with other actors on the labour market (unions, employers, temporary employment agencies,…)
New chances for older jobseekers
Counselled by specialized 50+ counsellors of VDAB
50+clubs on 25 locations in Flandres for collective and individual guidance for older jobseekers with personal advice, customised training, orientation, application traning
Vrijwillig niet vrijblijvend: 8% van de doelgroep 50-plussers stapt in, 3% via de vakbonden, 15% via VDAB

9. Action 50+ Compulsory for age of 50-55 for new jobseekers
Longterm unemployed > 50 years: voluntarily guidance by promoting the services of the VDAB
Sensitizing the labour market (employers) to keep older employees on the job
Vrijwillig niet vrijblijvend: 8% van de doelgroep 50-plussers stapt in, 3% via de vakbonden, 15% via VDAB

10. Vulnerable groups Unemployed in poverty
Jobseekers with medical, mental, psychic or psychiatric problems
Low-literated jobseekers
Bankrupts

11. Vocational Training Flexible offer of trainings
More directed on vacancies
Fullfilling the competence gap between the joboffers and the jobseekers
Reinforce collaboration with enterprises for training
Investment in learning the Dutch language (for migrants or jobseekers from Brussels and Wallonia)
Collaboration with Education

12. On-the-job-training
= training and guidance on the job during 1 to 6 months for improving competences for the job. After the training: permanent employment of the trainee
Extra:
Stimulating for more jobseekers in on-the-job-training + stimulating the employers to recruit a candidate through on-the-job-training
Qualitative improvement

13. Employers Basic information for employers with questions about career
Career guidance: orientation and guidance
Reinforcing competences for employers in restructuring or temporarily unemployment

14. Restructuring Action DirecT
Collective ending of minimum 10 fixed term contracts in a company within a month
Only if the company gives his consent
What?
Organisation of an info session
Registration as jobseeker on the spot
As soon as possible invitation at the PES
Organisation collective sessions
Focus on the people who are the most vulnerable in an economic crisis.
The ending of a fixed term contract is not counted as ‘job loss’
Problem: We have to know!!! Press, the unions, the employer, sector fund, PES-employees
In consultation with the company: when organizing an info session? While they are still at work? Last day? After the ending of the contract?
Info: - NOT OBLIGATORY - practical: what do you have to do? What are your rights? What are your obligations as jobseeker? What can the PES do for you? Are there similar jobs in the region?
Individual consult with a PES-worker: what’s the best help for you? Education?
Collective sessions: help in looking for a new job but then in group.
Cooperation of several services of the PES
 Everybody: detecting the companies in this situation
 Social intervention cell: Informing the company, organisation of the info session(s), registration as jobseeker
 Accounts: Also informing the company, list with job opportunities in the region/comparable jobs
 Consultants: aid at the info sessions, registration as job seeker, guiding the affected employees when looking for a new job

15. Restructuring Factors of success Continuation
Info session during the working hours
Collaboration with the workers unions
Duration of the economic crisis
Publicity of the measure
Continuation
Comprehensive approach of the PES
Legislation ‘Collective dismissal’
18 companies
2.571 affected people
941 people at an info session (37%)
1.063 back at work after 6 months (41%)

16. Restructuring Active restructuring policies in Flanders
1. Employment units and outplacement
2. Social intervention advisors within PES
3. Approval of the Regional Minister on activation measures
4. Social intervention Fund
5. Financial incentives to re-employ laid off workers (labour costs subsidies, financial support for outplacement )
Support after job loss
: Federal legislation
2 + 4: Flemish legislation

17. Restructuring
Collaboration of VDAB, employer, unions, outplacement agency and sector training fund
Guarantee for intensive guidance for former employees after the closing of the company, collective dismissal, restructure, bankruptcy.
Actions:
Formation of an employment unit in the company or VDAB
Informing employees about the employment unit, outplacement, unemployment and registration
Outplacement of (former) employees
Role: Stimulating work-to-work transitions and prevention of benefit dependency
Coordination of all actions to reintegrate collective dismissed workers (follow up outplacement, job offers, training opportunities)
Cooperation between all partners involved: employer; trade unions, outplacement office, sector training fund, chair=local director of PES;
In Flanders: “Firm specific” employment units and 15 “permanent” employment units (for small sized firms)
Duration of participation of dismissed workers in employment unit:45+ : 6 months, min.60 hours outplacement
45- : 3 months, min.30 hours outplacement

18. Restructuring Outplacement
= Intensive guidance by external organization after dismissal, towards a new job or self-employment
Compulsory for everyone who registers for the employment unit
Also possible for workers with fixed term contract or interim contract if 1year in company
Guidance of dismissed employees in the employment unit → by private organizations
Private organizations: +/- 200 in Flanders  Quality? After the lunch break
Status of dismissed workers in employment unit: No contract anymore with employer
Registered unemployed
Activation allowance during employment unit (may continue afterwards)
Facilitating the work-to-work transition
Several legislations
Individual dismissal: obligatory for 45+
Collective dismissal: obligatory for everyone who registers for the employment unit
Bankruptcy: obligatory for 45+, possible for 45-
Employer pays (except when there’s no money  Social intervention fund)

19. Restructuring Social intervention advisors
Information for employers and social partners on rules and procedures
Before social dialogue (providing information)
During social dialogue: no interventions, only information on request
After social dialogue to support with legal procedures
To erect and coordination of the employment unit
Information for employees and individual consult
Managing the Social intervention Fund
Aim: Payment of outplacement and support to lay offs after bankruptcy or when the company is in financial troubles
Employees working 1 year in firm before bankruptcy
Bankrupt Self-employed
Helpers of Bankrupt Self-employed
Payment of outplacement if employer can not pay: 2.290€/person +57€/person administration cost
Training budget: 575 €/person (maximum)
Obligation of an employment unit + social plan
2009: 379 dossiers

20. Questions?

21. Thank you
Riet Bulckens