The Swedish labour market is strong. We have the EU’s highest level of employment. The unemployment rate continues to fall despite the fact that many new people have come to our country the last few years on the run from war and persecution. Labour market policy plays an important function to those who have a weak foothold in the labour market easier to find a job. Rustande and matching efforts can compensate for a lower level of education or lack of work experience, and weigh up for weaker personal networks. More and more newcomers find jobs faster.
the number enrolled with the exposed position in the labour market has increased. It is above all about people who lack a high school education or were born in an overseas country. They are generally harder to get jobs than other job-seekers and are at greater risk of ending up in long-term unemployment. While there is a labour shortage and the often high requirements for the jobs available.
It has been over a longer period of time been criticism of the employment service and how the agency fulfills its mission. Demands are being made that the authority should be phased out. By januariavtalet – the sakpolitiska the agreement between the social democrats, the Centre party, the Liberals and the green Party the greens – is now an opportunity for a long-term approach and stability in labour market policy.
the employment service will remain, but be reformed in the basis. We are moving forward to implement this. Within the Government offices, establishment of an implementation team to focus its work on the issue of the authority’s activities in the future. Today, the government decides even if a mission to the employment agency to the authority shall prepare for and provide a basis for reform.
the Focus of the authority will be to assess the needs of individuals, decide about the directions to the efforts of other actors, procure and interact with such and to create the conditions for the matching between job-seekers and recruiting employers. The work to prepare and match jobseekers will to a large extent be carried out by other actors. The employment service will, in future, more to serve as an employment service. With a clearer mission, the authority can focus on their core functions and build expertise around these.
In the further reform of the direction that the agency’s core functions shall be:
1 labour market Policy evaluation and the exercise of public authority. The labour market activities shall be accurate. The public employment service to become an expert at assessing an individual’s position in the labour market and how much support the individual may need in order to find a job. The employment service shall also provide for the exercise of public authority, among other things, to decide on and check payments to job seekers.
The rustande and matching efforts shall be carried out by independent actors. The main principle shall be that the actors are replaced based on the extent to which effort leads to lasting employment, given the individual circumstances.
2 Procurement, monitoring and control. The rustande and matching efforts shall be carried out by independent actors. The stakes shall be provided in the manner and with the replacement model which is most suitable, including through the system of choice under LOV. The main principle shall be that the actors are replaced based on the extent to which effort leads to lasting employment, given the individual circumstances.
3 Collaboration. the employment service shall conduct its activities in collaboration with other actors that contribute to improve the social functioning of the union. The municipalities are particularly important samverkansparter. The interaction with the municipalities is needed at the strategic level, including on etableringsuppdraget, local jobbspår and transition to regular education, as well as in the operational work around the needs assessment and planning efforts. The authority shall also be a partner in the event of changes in the local labour market, which has increased the reception of newly arrived, or greater notice.
4 Infrastructure for matching. , the employment service, to create the conditions for job-seekers and recruiting employers to find each other. This does not mean that the employment service shall carry out the matching. The authority shall create conditions for other actors to bring together job seekers with those seeking workers. This can be done by providing a digital infrastructure, but also through physical meetings regional rekryteringsträffar.
in order For this movement to be possible need employment services to secure a number of conditions in the further work:
• the Use of digital channels and services at a distance must increase. Already today opt for many job seekers to use digital channels in their contact with the employment service and to get their service at a distance. This proportion needs to increase to physical meetings should be prioritised to those individuals who most need this. There is also a significant potential to improve the efficiency of the internal it-systems.
the Employment participation at the state servicekontoren should also be reviewed so that the transfer of the business can begin. Booked personal appointments should, where appropriate, be offered to the job seekers, in principle, in each municipality.
• Presence in the country must be ensured. job-Seekers in the whole country should have good access to the service. The presence will be secured even where the authority does not have a private office, for example, through partnerships with municipalities. The employment participation at the state servicekontoren should also be reviewed so that the transfer of the business can begin. Booked personal appointments should, where appropriate, be offered to the job seekers, in principle, in each municipality. Established collaboration with municipalities shall be preserved. The authority also needs to ensure that the efforts of job seekers can be offered in the whole country during a gradual increase in the use of stand-alone players.
• Incorrect payments must be discouraged. Controls, and the possibility of sanctions is necessary for the system’s legitimacy. The employment service shall work to prevent erroneous payments in the case of economic assistance, grants and benefits to employers, providers of services and individuals.
the Possibility for municipalities to participate in the performance of the governmental labour market policy is to be investigated further.
the employment service shall be given a clearer mission and long-term opportunities to implement it. With the right conditions, the public employment service continued to contribute to increased employment, confidence and security for all who are looking for work on tomorrow’s labour market.
