Due to shortage of employees, the Ministry is planning changes in the employment system
“In 2022, we will endeavour at increasing the number of employees because some of protractedly unemployed persons need attention and help to be able to work and earn money again. The situation with persons with disabilities is similar. I believe that positive attitude of the society, benevolence of employers and creation of appropriate work conditions for people with disabilities would help to add responsible, diligent and loyal employees to the labour market,” – says Minister of Social Security and Labour, Mrs. Monika Navickienė.
CHANGES IN THE EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM
According to the data of the Employment Service, more than one fourth of the registered unemployed persons (72 thousand) have been unemployed for long term, where more than 6 percent (4,5 thousand) have never had worked, and one third (almost 20 thousand) have not been employed for more than 2 years.
Some people do not work because they have debts, addictions, are taking care about children or parents, do not have means to come to the work place, or they are working illegally. Others lack motivation and are not active enough in search for work and new career opportunities, while the others prefer to stay temporarily unemployed because of personal or other liabilities, and some others are working “in shadow”.
If a person needs help, for example, treatment of addictions or debt solution, the appropriate services will be provided so that the person would be able to return to the labour market and to get a firm place there.
PLANS. It is planned to separate persons ready to work from the ones who are not ready, and to grant complex assistance to the latter together with the municipal authorities to return them to the labour market. When the person is entitled to the unemployment benefit of social insurance in the first 9 months, the work in compliance with the unemployed person’s qualification and competence should be offered.
The offered salary in the first 3 months should not be smaller than 80 percent of previous salary, and in the forth-ninth month, it may be reduced to 60 percent. Besides, the offered salary cannot be smaller than the unemployment benefit received at certain time.
Starting with the 10th month, the offered job should not necessarily meet the person’s qualification, competence, or work experience. However, it should be suitable for health condition and in compliance with the established commuting time and expenses.
The person would lose the status of unemployed person, if s/he refuses the offered suitable job twice in 12 months without a solid reason. If the Employment Service offers 2 suitable positions in shorter period, for example, in 6 or 8 months, and the person refuses the offer, that person would lose the status of unemployed person after refusal of the second appropriate work offer.
This regulation is expected to help to prevent misuse cases when the person deregisters from the Employment Service after having received a suitable work offer and later returns without any intentions to work.
The Employment Service would also cancel the status of the unemployed person if it received information about illegal income (present or past) and illegal wok of the respective person.
In order to increase the opportunities of learning and staying in the labour market of the employed persons, not only the professional training, but also employment under apprenticeship employment contract, recognition of competences gained through informal and non-formal education, informal adult education, and acquisition of qualifications and competencies wit high added value will be organised. These changes are expected to help older persons to stay in the labour market.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN OPEN LABOUR MARKET
At present, approximately 30 percent of persons with disabilities of working age are employed.
The Ministry has set the aim to achieve that their number would reach 39 percent until 2025 and 47 percent until 2030.
A new model of employment of persons with disabilities will help such persons to find job in open labour market faster and easier.
The fact that persons with disabilities prefer employment in open labour market is also confirmed by the statistics.
Absolute majority of employed persons with disabilities are employed in the open labour market. In the end of the 1st half year of 2021, more than 44 thousand persons with disabilities of working age were employed, where more than 4,5 thousand, i.e., approximately 10 percent, were employed in social companies.
It is planned to strengthen the position of the already employed persons – to assign funds for adjustment and improvement of their work places and work environment.Big attention will be also drawn to persons, who become disabled for the first time when they are of working age and are employed. It is important not to turn disability into the reason to leave the labour market. Preventive measures are expected to help to reach this aim, for example, accompanying assistance after employment.
Active means of the labour market and grants will be available to all the employers operating in the labour market who employ persons with disabilities.
The Law on Employment provides such measures as adjustment of work environment and service of work assistance. The pilot project – job carving – will be implemented. Besides, the already used measures will be improved: employment through grants, adjustment of work environment, support of self-employment, support to mobility, and service of assisted employment.