Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Artem Asatryan Presents New Employment Policy
During the press conference, which was held today at the government press center, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan presented the Government’s new welfare-employment policy.
Noting that nearly 90 percent of State budget allocations for the employment sector is used to pay unemployment benefits, the Minister said a qualitative assessment and a complete analysis of 13 projects have been carried out in the field of employment.
“We have introduced a simple indicator called sustainable employment multiplier. This means that a person involved in any employment-related program shall get a job upon completion of the program. We have envisaged a minimum of 6-month period of time after looking into the program of previous years,” A. Asatryan said.
The index of those programs realized over the past few years is 10.5 percent, which means that after getting involved in an employment program, 10 in 100 job-seekers find a job in the labor market.
“The index is 6 percent for unemployment benefits. That is, 94 percent of the funds earmarked for the settlement of unemployment benefits did not serve the purpose, which means that the program has missed the target,”
According to A. Asatryan, an appropriate bill has been drafted and submitted to the National Assembly, which specifies all program directions and goals.
“The objective is clear: to make an uncompetitive person more competitive on the labor market and provide him with a job. When we talk about the social safety net, including the benefits, we have a vulnerability evaluation system in the social safety field – a program of family benefits,” A. Asatryan said reassuring that we will have as many employment projects in the future.
It was also advised that a program is being developed to ensure refund of the costs incurred by the unemployed visiting an employer.
