2. Learning from Experience of PES Practitioners in EU Implementation of Flexicurity Measures at Regional and Local Level , Prague
Mr. Gašper Zakrajšek
Mr. Sandi Meke
Employment Service of Slovenia Regional Office Ljubljana

3. Employment Service of Slovenia
Slovenia in brief
GDP per capita, ,361 € per capita GDP per capita in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) (EU-27 = 100) 87 in 2010 Average monthly earnings, Nov11 - Jan12 1,575 € gross 1015 € net
Capital: Ljubljana (258,873)
Area: km2
Population: 2,05 million

4. Unemployment rates (LFS) EU 27
Employment Service of Slovenia
Unemployment rates (LFS) EU 27
Unemployment rate 8.7% (Labour Force Survey) % (Registered), Jan12
Source: EUROSTAT, Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

5. Introduction of the Flexicurity concept in Slovenia
Employment Service of Slovenia
Introduction of the Flexicurity concept in Slovenia
The Flexicurity concept is mentioned for the first time in Slovenia’s development strategy
2005
Active employment policy programme – includes various activities with strong emphasis on flexibility and increased competitiveness of the workforce by using LLL within AEP measures,
2007
Slovenian Exit Strategy 2010 – 2013: included proposal for changes in legislation in line with the flexicurity concept:
Labour market regulation act
Minimum Wage Act
X Mini Jobs Act
X Pension reform
 Excercise of rights to public funds act
 Employment Relationship Act – expected
2010
2012
Main for implementation of the concept?

6. Forms of flexibility Employers in Slovenia prefer “unfriendly” forms!
Employment Service of Slovenia
Forms of flexibility
“FRIENDLY” FORMS
Part-time job
Job sharing, job rotation
Flexible working time
Work at home, Telework
Higher level of and autonomy of the employee
Less stress
Better life-work balance
Better working results
“UNFRIENDLY” FORMS
Shift work
Overtime work
Weekend work
Fixed-term contracts
Occasional work
Self-employment
Higher level of employment uncertainty
Problems with stress
Worse life-work balance
Burnout syndrome
Lower productivity (long-term)
Employers in Slovenia prefer “unfriendly” forms!

7. ILLEGAL WORK AND EMPLOYMENT
Employment Service of Slovenia
Effective labour market policies – flexible and reliable contractual arrangements?
FLEXIBILITY
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
INDEFINITE PERIOD
FULL-TIME
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
FIXED-TERM
PART-TIME
WORK CONTRACT
STUDENT WORK
ILLEGAL WORK AND EMPLOYMENT
SECURITY

8. Employment Service of Slovenia
Effective labour market policies – flexible and reliable contractual arrangements
Rigid labour legislation - Calls for more flexible labour law provisions
Generation gap
Labour market regulation act envisaged several AEP measures based on flexicurity approach:
training and education
replacement of a worker at a job position and job sharing
employment incentives
creation of new jobs
promotion of self-employment
Percentage of job vacancies offering fixed-term employment is on the rise!
1995 – 8,4 % fixed-term workers
2010 – 17,3 % fixed-term workers
2010 – 9 % working part-time
Employment : Self-employment ratio 7:1
Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

9. Employment Service of Slovenia
Effective labour market policies – flexible and reliable contractual arrangements
Balancing working and parenting
One of the parents can choose to work part-time (paid contributions)
Family Friendly Enterprise Certificate
Started by MoLFSA in 2006, now carried out by an NGO
Developed and executed in cooperation with employer organisations, unions, faculty for social sciences
Developed for promotion of balancing professional and private lives of employees
A consulting-audit process, for implementation of improvements in:
working time
human resource development
work organization
structure of payment and remuneration
workplace
management skills
services for families
politics of communication and information

10. Modern and adequate social protection systems
Employment Service of Slovenia
Modern and adequate social protection systems
Labour market regulation act
Applied on January 1st 2011
Increased security of job-seekers, introduce the concept of flexicurity in the labour
Expansion of labour market-related services (e.g. career orientation) to include more beneficiaries, not only the unemployed!
job-seeker / job-seekers whose employment is at risk
Changes in unemployment benefit:
more beneficiaries - lower “entry demands”
higher benefits, longer duration for older beneficiaries
retention of the right despite part-time employment
lower reductions of benefits in case of gained income from work
Current trend?

11. Modern and adequate social protection systems
Employment Service of Slovenia
Modern and adequate social protection systems
Exercise of Rights to Public Funds Act
Financial Social Assistance Act
New regulation implemented in 2012 – not carried out by ESS!
WHAT IS NEW?
Simplification of the system - introduction of one entry point (social work centres) for exercising the rights to social transfers
Change in conditions for entitlement to different rights in order to motivate individuals to work and reduce the risk of poverty and unemployment
Central database / information system of rights to public funds
Harmonisation of criteria for granting 4 types of social transfers and 9 types of subsidies that are means-tested
Defining a priority order for exercising the rights to social transfers
Higher minimum income (basic level of financial social assistance): new basis for ensuring social security to the most vulnerable groups

12. Modern and adequate social protection systems
Employment Service of Slovenia
Modern and adequate social protection systems
Employment service
Social Work centres
Cooperation and exchange of personal data
Common “commissions” (employment adviser, social worker, rehabilitation adviser)
Temporary unemployable transferred to SWC to actively resolve their situation (mental health issues, addiction, serious social barriers)
Challenges?
child benefit, financial social assistance, state scholarships, reduced kindergarten fee, rent, transport, school meals subsidy, contribution for compulsory health insurance,….
Rights from unemployment insurance
e.g. UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT

13. Roots of Lifelong learning strategy in Slovenia
Employment Service of Slovenia
Roots of Lifelong learning strategy in Slovenia
In 2007 the lifelong learning strategy was adopted by Ministry of education, science and sport as a key strategic document in this field
Based on strategic goals of EU in field of training and education
Framework: major goals defined in order to develop LLL in SLO and also recommended measures for achieving it
Strategic council was formed as an interdisciplinary body -supervises the implementation/execution of the strategy

14. Lifelong Learning Week
Employment Service of Slovenia
Lifelong Learning Week
Promoting the culture of lifelong learning since 1996
At the national level, the LLW is coordinated by the Slovenian Institute for Adult Education (SIAE)
5,000 educational, promotional, information and guidance, as well as social and cultural events
The festival annually involves from 700 to 800 institutions, NGOs, interest groups and other stakeholders
ESS cooperates with workshops in the field of career orientation.

15. Employment Service of Slovenia
ESS and Lifelong career orientation Development and promotion of lifelong career services and tools designed for unemployed persons an other job seekers – An ESS project
Various activities with main aim: strengthening of Lifelong career activities for unemployed and other job seekers in order to stimulate individuals for active approach towards solving their unemployment status

16. Comprehensive lifelong learning strategies
Employment Service of Slovenia
Comprehensive lifelong learning strategies
Slovene Human Resources Development and Scholarship Fund.
Payment of tuitions for adults, co-funding of practical training, education,…
Recognition of non-formal learning - National vocational qualification
Current trend in Employment Service of Slovenia:
2011: ESS included 16,000 people in different education and training programmes; formal learning (to receive vocational education), project learning for young adults, other non-formal learning, “on the job” training,…
A shift
from
long-term, formal, individual, basic skill development programmes to
short, needs-based / goal-orientated approach and internal PES projects

17. Thank you for your attention!