The initial interview will take place within five days of the start of the job search and the employment authorities will contact or sit with the jobseekers approximately every two weeks during the first three months of the job search. The first meeting was previously held within two weeks of the start of the job search and was followed by contacts every three months.
According to Meling, the frequency of contacts and appointments will remain higher than before even after the first three months.
Another novelty is the obligation to apply for four jobs a month.
“There are numerous exceptions to this, which can take into account, for example, the weak labor market situation, the lack of job vacancies and greater work ability problems,” he said.
The key difference with the previous obligation is that jobseekers can choose for themselves which jobs they are applying for; in the past, they had to retain their privilege by responding to job offers sent by TE offices.
The periods of ineligibility for benefits have also been shortened – the longest halved from 90 days to 45 days – and the rules have been changed so that the first breach no longer results in a period of absence. However, the second violation triggers a seven-day period during which the job seeker is not entitled to unemployment benefit.
The Employment and Economic Development Offices (TE Offices) have hired about 1,200 experts to handle the growing workload.
The Ministry of Employment and the Economy estimates that the initial investment in unemployment will increase the number of employed people by 9,500–10,000 and reduce public costs by about 140 million euros from 2025 onwards.
The Unemployed Association has expressed reservations about the functioning of the system.
“Its main benefit may be that it speeds up the job search, but it doesn’t necessarily change how many jobs are available. It may not be too realistic in that sense. ” Jukka HaapakoskiThe chief operating officer of the organization for the unemployed commented to YLE.
His other concerns include the ability of job seekers to submit four job applications per month, the ability of employment officers to meet job seekers at the proposed frequency, and the consequences of reallocating resources to the long-term unemployed.
Only eight percent of the long-term unemployed are covered by unemployment security, he recalled. “They should be provided with training more systematically.”
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page