Zitatform

Holzer, Harry J. (2023): Can Workforce Development Help Us Reach Full Employment? (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 16624), Bonn, 24 S.

Abstract

"In this paper, I review the potential of workforce development programs to help the US get closer to "full employment." First, I provide some background on workforce development in the US, and also on the aggregate employment/labor force issues that workforce programs may or may not address. Then I review the empirical evidence on job training and other forms of workforce development, in terms of impacts on employment (as opposed to earnings). I briefly consider how the US experience in this regard compares and contrasts with that of other countries in the EU or OECD, and what we might learn from them. I conclude that more and better workforce development could help somewhat to achieve lower unemployment and higher labor force participation in the US, though we also need a range of other policies to achieve these goals." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Horn, Alexander, Anthony Kevins & Kees van Kersbergen (2023): The paternalist politics of punitive and enabling workfare: evidence from a new dataset on workfare reforms in 16 countries, 1980–2015. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 21, H. 4, S. 2137-2166. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwac060

Abstract

"Does neoliberalism lie behind the increased use of social policy to control and incentivize labor market behavior? We argue that this assumed connection is theoretically weak and empirically inaccurate, and we point to an alternative explanation centered on government paternalism. Using a new comparative dataset on workfare reforms, we first describe how the overall balance of punitive and enabling demands placed on the unemployed has changed across 16 countries between 1980 and 2015. We observe a growing number of workfare reforms, modestly tilted towards the punitive side—but without a broad shift towards punitive workfare. We then assess the drivers of policy intervention, finding that government paternalism, rather than neoliberalism, helps us to understand which governments enact enabling and punitive measures. In line with our broader argument, we suggest that this reflects the moral (rather than economic) foundations of social policy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Koelle, Michael (2023): Addressing labor market challenges for sustainable and inclusive growth in Israel. In: OECD Economic Surveys: Israel Paris, Paris, S. 65-116. DOI:10.1787/727fa4b8-en

Abstract

"High employment growth has sustained Israel's high GDP growth in recent decades, but demographic change and labor market duality put future growth at risk. Policy action is required to stimulate employment and raise labor productivity, especially among population groups with weaker labor market outcomes. A particular concern is closing employment gaps of Haredim and Arab Israelis and ensuring gender equality in the workplace, which would simultaneously improve opportunities for all Israelis and the aggregate labor productivity of the economy. This will require setting appropriate work incentives and providing better support for working parents; improving skills at all stages of the learning cycle; as well as increasing mobility and improving reallocation towards high-productivity jobs and firms, in particular in the high-tech sector." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Papadopoulos, Orestis & Katy Jones (2023): Training in the age of liberalization and crisis: Understanding the learning experiences of young Active Labour Market Programme Participants. In: Social Policy and Administration, Jg. 57, H. 2, S. 219-234. DOI:10.1111/spol.12876

Abstract

"Vocational Training has been a prominent aspect of Active Labour Market Policy (ALMP) across EU member states, as part of efforts to boost the employability and human capital of young unemployed people and address new social risks arising within knowledge economies. However, young people's learning experiences of these programmes, and how these shape their early formative experiences in the labour market is underexplored. We address this gap by presenting new analysis of an extensive qualitative dataset, involving interviews with participants in Greece's Continuous Vocational Training (CVET) Program. Drawing on Unwin and Fuller's influential theory of restrictive and expansive learning environments which was developed through examination of formal apprenticeship programmes, we explore the extent to which these short-term vocational training programs provide meaningful learning and work experiences for young people. We show that vocational training facilitated through ALMPs is often experienced as restrictive, underpinned by a lack of meaningful training, occupation-specific skills, supportive guidance and quality employment prospects. Furthermore, we show how ALMPs in such contexts not only fail to support young people, but they also reinforce and legitimize precarious work practices by socializing the younger generation of workers into low-pay, temporary and routine jobs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Peters, Marjolein (2023): European Network of Public Employment Services: Trends in PES - Assessment Report on PES Capacity 2022. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 74 S. DOI:10.2767/908915

Abstract

"The report provides an overview of key trends in the development of PES, describing aspects of their capacity and the client services they offer. It is based on PES replies to the annual PES Capacity survey received from 32 PES in July and August 2022. This year, specific information was collected on the cooperation of PES with municipalities and how PES use outsourcing to work with other actors in the labour market ecosystem. Two more important additional topics this year are the impact of the pandemic (continuing from the 2021 report) and the support PES provide to jobseekers from Ukraine." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Reiter, Renate (2023): Critical infrastructure of social and labour market integration: Capacitating the implementation of social service policies to the long-term unemployed in Germany and France? In: European Journal of Social Security, Jg. 25, H. 2, S. 158-177. DOI:10.1177/13882627231187609

Abstract

"Active social and employment services are a crucial infrastructure of the welfare state. As these services are designed to help people in need of support to overcome periods of insecurity in their life course, their effective provision has also been seen as an element of the implementation of the social investment (SI) welfare state. However, the transition to the SI state is linked to numerous preconditions. This is especially true with regard to vulnerable people like the long-term unemployed (LTU). The provision of social services that meet the specific needs of this group requires the actors responsible for implementing social and employment policies to have adequate operative capacities. This article compares Germany and France as two European welfare states that – confronted with persistently high long-term unemployment – have taken different reform paths over the last 20 years that partly run counter to their political-administrative systemic conditions and governance traditions to meet this challenge. Empirically, the article draws on a systematic content analysis of selected policy documents and secondary literature. It is shown that the recent German reform path of combining central steering responsibility with local scope for action can be a way to come closer to a social investment-oriented service policy for the LTU. However, the article also reveals that neither state (yet) has the necessary operative capacities for a shift towards an SI state. Overall, the changes in the understanding of the SI paradigm and the welfare state's constant reluctance to invest in implementation capacity make its sustainable application unlikely." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, 䗏 Intersentia, Ltd.) ((en))

Zitatform

Schönherr, Daniel & Harald Glaser (2023): Zwischen Fördern und Fordern: Auswirkungen individueller Beratungs- und Vermittlungsstrategien auf die Beschäftigungschancen arbeitsuchender Menschen. (AMS-Info / Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich 578), Wien, 3 S.

Abstract

"Aus dem einleitenden Teil: "Die vorliegende Studie im Auftrag der Abt. Arbeitsmarktforschung und Berufsinformation (ABI) sowie der Abt. Service für Arbeitsuchende (SfA) des AMS Österreich geht der Frage nach, wie Berater:innen des AMS potenzielle Spielräume in der Beratung individuell nutzen, um ihre Kund:innen bei der Suche nach einer neuen Beschäftigung zu unterstützen. Darüber hinaus analysiert die Studie die Auswirkungen dieser individuellen Beratungs- und Vermittlungsstrategien auf die Wiederbeschäftigungschancen von arbeitsuchenden Menschen in Österreich. Anknüpfend an bisherige Evaluierungen der Beratungssituation am AMS, die zuletzt vor allem die Betreuungsrelation und Kontakthäufigkeit zwischen Berater:innen und Kund:innen in den Blick nahmen, unternimmt die Studie erstmals für Österreich den Versuch, die Wirkweise unterschiedlicher Arten von Beratung und Vermittlung, die Arbeitslose am AMS erfahren, zu quantifizieren. Methodisch wurde darüber hinaus untersucht, ob und inwieweit Daten aus einer standardisierten Befragung von Berater:innen des AMS mit administrativen Daten ihrer Kund:innen verknüpft und derart aufbereitet werden können, dass statistische Aussagen über etwaige Einflussfaktoren der Beratung auf die Wiederbeschäftigungschancen Arbeitsloser gewonnen werden können. (...)" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Siddique, Abu Bakkar (2023): Job market polarization and American poverty. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 57. DOI:10.1186/s12651-023-00356-5

Abstract

"The article posits that the puzzles of stagnating poverty rates amidst high growth and declining unemployment in the United States can be substantially explained by polarized job markets characterized by job quality and job distribution. In recent decades, there has been an increased number of poor-quality jobs and an unequal distribution of jobs in the developed world, particularly in the United States. I have calculated measures of uneven job distribution indices that account for the distribution of jobs across households. A higher value of the uneven job distribution indices implies that there are relatively large numbers of households with multiple employed people and households with no employed people. Similarly, poor-quality jobs are those jobs that do not offer full-time work. Two-way fixed-effect models estimate that higher uneven job distribution across households worsens aggregated poverty at the state level. Similarly, good-quality jobs help households escape poverty, whereas poor-quality jobs do not. This paper suggests that eradicating poverty requires the government to direct labor market policies to be tailored more toward distributing jobs from individuals to households and altering bad jobs into good jobs, rather than merely creating more jobs in the economy. This paper contributes by elaborating on relations of employment and poverty, addressing employment quality and distribution, and providing empirical evidence." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

Zitatform

Strittmatter, Anthony (2023): What is the value added by using causal machine learning methods in a welfare experiment evaluation? In: Labour Economics, Jg. 84. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2023.102412

Abstract

"Recent studies have proposed causal machine learning (CML) methods to estimate conditional average treatment effects (CATEs). In this study, I investigate whether CML methods add value compared to conventional CATE estimators by re-evaluating Connecticut’s Jobs First welfare experiment. This experiment entails a mix of positive and negative work incentives. Previous studies show that it is hard to tackle the effect heterogeneity of Jobs First by means of CATEs. I report evidence that CML methods can provide support for the theoretical labor supply predictions. Furthermore, I document reasons why some conventional CATE estimators fail and discuss the limitations of CML methods." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2024 Elsevier) ((en))

Zitatform

Theodoropoulos, Nikolaos & Georgios Voucharas (2023): Firm Closures and Labor Market Policies in Europe. Evidence from Retrospective Longitudinal Data. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 1288), Essen, 35 S.

Abstract

"We examine the impact of active and passive labor market policies expenditures on the probability of re-employment, re-employment duration, unemployment duration, and re-employment wages in the case of job displacements due to firm closures. We use retrospective homogeneous longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and OECD data for 24 countries over the period 1985-2017 and we operate within alternative econometric frameworks. Our findings suggest that, in contrast to passive labor market policies, investing in active labor market policies increases the re-employment probability and the re-employment duration, reduces the risk of staying unemployed, and leads to higher wages at the lower end of the conditional wage distribution. Passive labor market policies estimates offset active labor market estimates and their interaction effect is always negative, but complementarities effects are found for Northern countries. By breaking down active and passive labor market policies into eight subcomponents, our results indicate that they have significant heterogeneous effects within and across labor market outcomes. Further, expenditures on labor market policies vary substantially across regions. For instance, active labor market policies have a stronger impact for Eastern countries, whereas passive labor market policies such as out-of-work income has a positive impact for Southern countries. Further, females are found to benefit more from active labor market policies in terms of re-employment probability, duration of re-employment, and risk of unemployment, but not in terms of wages, compared to males. Policymakers may consider the importance of implementing diverse reforms tailored to different countries and groups to enhance the effectiveness of labor market policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Valizade, Danat, Jo Ingold & Mark Stuart (2023): Employer Participation in Active Labour Market Policies in the United Kingdom and Denmark: The Effect of Employer Associations as Social Networks and the Mediating Role of Collective Voice. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 37, H. 4, S. 991-1012. DOI:10.1177/09500170211063094

Abstract

"Active labour market policies (ALMPs) have evolved as pivotal social policy instruments designed to place the unemployed and other disadvantaged groups in sustainable employment. Yet, little is known about what drives employer participation in such initiatives. This article provides a nuanced account of the socio-economic aspects of the demand-side of ALMPs, by investigating employer embeddedness in wider social networks created by employer associations and employee collective voice as enabling mechanisms for employer participation in ALMPs. Drawing on an original survey of employers in the United Kingdom (UK) and Denmark, we found that the extent of employer embeddedness in such social networks is positively associated with employer participation in the UK but not in Denmark, where the effect was indirect and mediated through collective bargaining. The effects of employer network ties and employee collective voice affirm the importance of a more integrated analysis of the interactions between network ties and institutions in ALMP research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Van Hootegem, Arno, Federica Rossetti, Koen Abts & Bart Meuleman (2023): The ideological roots of the activation paradigm: How justice preferences and unemployment attributions shape public support for demanding activation policies. In: International Journal of Social Welfare online erschienen am 29.08.2023, S. 1-17. DOI:10.1111/ijsw.12628

Abstract

"Research either focused on self-interest or left-right ideology to explain support for demanding active labour market policies (ALMPs). This article focuses instead on how attitudes towards these policies are rooted in the underlying policy paradigm. We link attitudes towards ALMPs to two pillars of the activation paradigm: distributive justice and unemployment attributions. Structural equational modeling is employed on the Belgian National Election Study data of 2014 (N=1901). Individuals supporting the principles of need and equity and who blame the unemployed are more in favour of demanding activation. These frameworks and hence the policy paradigm thus have substantial predictive power." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Álvarez, Ignacio, Jesús Cruces & Francisco Trillo (2023): Radical Change and Institutional Resilience: The Case of Labour Market Reforms in Southern Europe. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 37, H. 6, S. 1517-1543. DOI:10.1177/09500170221090166

Abstract

"Over the last decade southern European labour markets have been transformed in a common neoliberal direction, as a consequence of the reforms enacted after the 2008 financial crisis. In our research we investigate to what extent these labour market reforms, aimed at promoting a radical decentralisation of collective bargaining, have actually led to such change. For that purpose, we developed a comparative study of Spain and Portugal, using the notions of path dependency and socio-political coalitions developed by historical institutionalism. Our study leads to the conclusion that institutional trajectories resulting from these labour market reforms merge profound changes with significant resilience. The neoliberal transformations of southern European labour markets have not led to the emergence of new bargaining models, nor to an institutional convergence towards the decentralised collective bargaining systems of liberal market economies. Rather, these reforms have triggered a disorganised fragmentation of collective bargaining systems, resulting in a lack of institutional coherence." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Europäische Kommission. Generaldirektion Beschäftigung, Soziales und Integration (2023): Joint Employment Report 2024. Commission proposal. (Joint employment report), Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 165 S. DOI:10.2767/17157

Abstract

"The Joint Employment Report (JER) by the European Commission and the Council monitors the employment situation in the Union and the implementation of the Employment Guidelines, in line with Article 148 of the TFEU. The report provides an annual overview of key employment and social developments in the Union and of Member States’ recent policy measures, in line with the Guidelines for the Employment Policies of the Member States. It also identifies related key priority areas for policy action. Chapter 1 of the report presents an overview of key employment and social trends and of progress made on the 2030 EU headline and national targets, as well as horizontal findings based on the principles of the Social Convergence Framework (SCF). Chapter 2 analyses challenges and policy responses in the Member States for each of the four employment guidelines. Chapter 3 provides country-specific analysis for all Member States in line with the principles of the SCF. Based on the Commission’s proposal, and following exchanges in the relevant Council advisory committees, the final text will be adopted by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council. Addressing the challenges identified in the report will contribute to achieving upward social convergence, strengthen the Union’s drive towards fair green and digital transitions and contribute to facing demographic change, as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the Union of Equality Strategies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Europäische Kommission. Generaldirektion Beschäftigung, Soziales und Integration (2023): Quarterly Review of Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) - November 2023. (Employment and social developments in Europe : quarterly review), Luxembourg, 19 S.

Abstract

"ESDE quarterly reviews periodically provide an overview of recent social and labour market developments in the EU, accompanied by specific thematic analyses. The thematic part of this review focuses on the impact of demographic changes on labour market outcomes and the potential of pension reforms to counteract these projected trends. This is an important topic in the context of demographic change in the EU over the next decades and the corresponding impact on employment rate, economic dependency ratio and social security contributions. Looking at pension reforms, the thematic focus shows that increasing the statutory and effective retirement age can play an important role for addressing the impending challenges stemming from population ageing and decline. It can at least in part mitigate the impact of ageing on employment and economic dependency. Nevertheless, it is also highlighted that a more comprehensive approach encompassing broader labour market reforms may be required to ensure the financial stability of social security systems in the long term, given the projected increases of recipients paired with higher social security contributions per employed person." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"The EU labor market policy (LMP) database collects information about government actions to help people with a disadvantage in the labor market, primarily by facilitating and supporting transitions from unemployment or inactivity into employment. This can take the form of financial support – such as unemployment benefits – or practical support ranging from basic guidance services to the provision of training, work experience and other actions aimed at improving a persons’ employability. It also includes incentives for employers to take on people from defined target groups. In the LMP database these actions are referred to as interventions. The LMP data are collected annually by a network of national delegates from administrative sources in each country on the basis of a comprehensive methodology that provides detailed guidelines on: which interventions to cover; how to classify interventions by type of action; how to measure the expenditure associated with each intervention; and how to measure the number of participants. The LMP data serve to inform analysts and policy makers about the labour market policies provided in the EU Member States and provide an evidence base for further development of policy. LMP data are used in routine monitoring and benchmarking frameworks adopted by the European Commission to identify key trends and challenges across the EU Member States and in analysis supporting a range of European policy initiatives. This note presents an analysis of the latest available LMP statistics. It includes an overview of the key data available for 2020 and an analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the provision of LMP in the Member States. Readers are recommended to refer to information on the characteristics of LMP statistics provided in Annex 1 to aid understanding of the data presented." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"The EU labor market policy (LMP) database collects information about government actions to help people with a disadvantage in the labor market, primarily by facilitating and supporting transitions from unemployment or inactivity into employment. This can take the form of financial support – such as unemployment benefits – or practical support ranging from basic guidance services to the provision of training, work experience and other actions aimed at improving a persons’ employability. It also includes incentives for employers to take on people from defined target groups. In the LMP database these actions are referred to as interventions. The LMP data are collected annually from administrative sources in each country on the basis of a comprehensive methodology that provides detailed guidelines for the collection of data: which interventions to cover; how to classify interventions by type of action; how to measure the expenditure associated with each intervention; and how to measure the number of participants. The aim of collecting this data is to serve as tool for policy analysts and policy makers to gain a clear understanding of the labor market policies provided in the EU and facilitate well informed decision-making. LMP data is used both in routine monitoring and benchmarking frameworks employed by the European Commission to identify key trends and challenges across the EU Member States and in analysis supporting a range of European policy initiatives. This note presents an analysis of the latest available LMP statistics. It includes sections providing an overview of the key data available for 2019, analysis of LMP based indicators, and an examination of insights data on different type of intervention can provide for key EU policy initiatives. Readers are recommended to refer to information on the characteristics of LMP statistics provided in Annex 1 to aid understanding of the data presented." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Europäische Kommission. Generaldirektion Beschäftigung, Soziales und Integration (2023): Annual report 2022 / European Network of Public Employment Services (PES). (Annual report … / European Network of Public Employment Services), Luxembourg, 25 S. DOI:10.2767/54453

Abstract

"The 2022 Work Program of the PES Network was designed to be implemented in a challenging context, whereby pre-existing labor market trends have been hastened by the COVID crisis. The actual context proved to be even more demanding. While unemployment remained at record low levels, labor shortages grew across many sectors. PES were furthermore called upon when millions of Ukrainians fled their country, and so far more than 4 million registrations for temporary protection1 have been recorded in the EU. In the wake of a potential recession, PES’ expectations for short term developments in employment and unemployment levels (as measured by the European Labor Market Barometer) have fallen consistently since May, to reach levels comparable to the height of the COVID 19 crisis. Overall, the Network was able to implement more than 20 activities in 2022, including some in addition to those planned, to support PES in helping displaced people from Ukraine." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Drawing on an extensive analysis of secondary literature, numerous country case studies, and the ILO's 2021 survey encompassing 94 public employment services worldwide, this report sheds light on significant insights. The report underscores that the integration of employment services within a comprehensive policy and legal framework, coupled with continuous capacity-building efforts, leads to enhanced effectiveness and long-term sustainability. Moreover, the report emphasizes the importance of synergies and harmonization between employment services, active labor market policies, social protection policies, and systems. It delves into the modernization of public employment services, extending beyond mere digitalization, by advocating for a holistic approach that assists clients in overcoming labor market and other obstacles. The report also advocates for partnerships with other labor market institutions, training organizations, and social protection entities to broaden their reach and impact." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Anghel, Liliana-Luminita (2022): European Network of Public Employment Services: 2022 PES Capacity Questionnaire Part II: Labour market training for the long-term unemployed. Survey-based Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 50 S. DOI:10.2767/07742

Abstract

"As part of its 2022 work program, the European Network of Public Employment Services (PES) continues the monitoring of the implementation of the Council Recommendation on the integration of the long term unemployed into the labor market. The report complements the quantitative and qualitative monitoring done by EMCO, and provides input to the EMCO multilateral surveillance. It mainly focuses on PES delivery of labor market training to LTUs to improve their ability to access jobs in the changing labor market. The findings are based on responses to a survey provided by 32 PES in 26 EU member States plus Iceland and Norway. The report shows that PES put a lot of efforts into organizing and delivering the labor market training to LTUs to improve their access to jobs, even in a challenging period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also includes some issues for further consideration when planning and adjusting future training programs for LTUs (for instance related to lack of internet access and IT equipment, low digital skills, poor support networks)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))