PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: Active Labour Market Policies Relevant ILO Conventions

Public Employment Services are the government institutions which plan and execute many of the labour market polices governments use to help workers enter the labour market, to facilitate labour market adjustments, and to cushion the impact of economic transitions.

Regulatory Services Job search assistance & placement services Labour Market Information Administer unemployment benefits Labour Market Programmes Employment services

INITIAL INTAKE Registration General Information on Services Provided Access to Self-Service Options Group Information Sessions EMPLOYABILITY IMPROVEMENT Individualized Counseling Assessment and Development of a Return-To-Work Action Plan May include Career, Vocational and / or Employment Counseling May involve one or more Labour Market Progammes PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Do all clients have fair and equitable access to the services? Are the desired outcomes being achieved? Are both job seekers and enterprises satisfied with the services? Are services delivered efficiently?

Importance of life long learning Developing good work habits Life skills coaching

WHO ARE THE VULNERABLE GROUPS?

 Well targeted and tailored to meet individual needs  Designed to respond to labour market requirements  Linked with work experience  Part of a comprehensive package of services  Involving the social partners

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES  Can create employment if targeted to specific needs and groups of disadvantaged people  Can be used to compensate for initial lower productivity and/ or training  If not carefully targeted the same result might have been reached without the programme  Non subsidized workers may be replaced by those who are subsidized  Employment may last only as long as the subsidy

 Can have high employment potential  May meet some job seekers aspirations for flexibility and independence But  Can be difficult for job seekers who lack networks, experience, technical knowledge and collateral  There is also the risk of failure of the business, particularly when the overall economy is weak, which limits its capacity to create sustainable employment And…  More effective when combined with financial and other services, in particular mentoring and training programmes

 Help job seekers gain labour market attachment  May increase employability when combined with training  Improves physical & social infrastructure, particularly if combined with development and sectoral strategies HOWEVER…  Workers may become trapped in a spiral of temporary public works programmes  Low capacity for labour market integration  Often gender biased  Potential displacement of private sector enterprises

 Lack of funds and budget constraints  Capacity of Job Centres and staff  Recruitment and retention of PES staff  Balance & integration of main PES functions  Improving accountability & cost-effectiveness and stakeholder ownership  Improving use of ICT  Improved LMI capacities

 Scope of PES or whether alternative options are better (e.g. one-stop-shop)  Division of Labour between private & public employment Services  Coordination of services for international migration between involved stakeholders nationally & internationally

Public Employment Services using different delivery models Special Targeted Initiatives Increased demand for Career Counselling Leading to need for Better Labour Market Information Increased interest in Skills Training The Opportunities through Green Jobs

LEGITIMACY OF PRIVATE AGENCIES LEGITIMACY OF PRIVATE AGENCIES BALANCE BALANCE FLEXIBILITY FLEXIBILITY PROTECTION OF WORKERS PROTECTION OF WORKERS COMPLEMENTARITY COMPLEMENTARITY

When developing an Employment Policy for a country it is important to consider: Capacity of the Public Employment Service Core services most needed, the mix and the degree of each service Who are the most vulnerable groups? Who are the other stakeholders and partners? What delivery model will work to provide the best possible service to job seekers, enterprises and the government?