Labour Market Policies and the Public Employment Service: Lessons from Recent Experience and Directions for the Future (The Prague Conference (Oecd Proceedings)

Proceedings of the Prague Conference, July 2000 Proponents of an active labour market policy are now claiming part of the credit for large falls in structural unemployment rates that have occurred in some OECD countries. Advances in information technology which facilitate matching job-seekers to jobs, modern management methods, and a favourable economic climate in recent years have encouraged innovative approaches and created new opportunities for the Public Employment Service to help the unemployed return to work. This book presents the proceedings of a conference on Labour Market Policies an. Read more... And Conclusions by Peter SchwanseLabour Market Policies and the Public Employment -Service: Main Characteristics and New Challenges by the OECD Secretariat -- External Audits of the Public Employment Service in the 1990s by the OECD Secretariat -- Part I. The Labour Exchange Function of the Public Employment Service -- A Model Local Employment Office in Portugal by Antonio Charana and Vitor Rodrigues -- Computer Touchscreen and Internet Job Brokering Services by Eddy Vercammen and Edy Geerts -- Marketing to Employers in the Netherlands by Jeannette van Yperen -- One-Stop Statecraft: Restructuring Workforce Development Programs in the United States by David E. Balducchi and Alison J. Pasternak -- Part II. Unemployment Benefits and Activation Measures -- Some Conflicts between Employment Policy and Social Policy in the Czech Republic by Milan Horalek -- Eligibility Criteria for Unemployment Benefits by David Grubb --^Monitoring and Assisting Active Job Search by Patricia M. Anderson -- From Restart to the New Deal in the United Kingdom by William Wells -- The Active Labour Market Policy in Denmark by Inge Maerkedahl -- The Activation and Qualification of Social Assistance Recipeints in Oslo by Nina Backer roed and lars Mannsaker -- Activation: The Point of View of Clients and Front Line Staff by Dan Finn and Martin Blackmore -- Part III. Design and Implementation Issues for Active Labour Market Policies -- How Can We Make Active Policies More Effective? The Role of Organisation, Implementation, and Optimal Allocation in Active Labour Market Policy by Jaap de Koning -- Implementation Issues in Finland: Experiences, Developments, and Context of Labour Market Policy Measures by Heikki Raisanen -- Part IV. Structure of the Public Employment Service -- Introduction of Contestability in the Delivery of Employment Services in Australia by Leslie Riggs --^Labour Market Policies in Employment Services in Canada: A New Collaborative Approach by the Employment Programs Branch, Canada Summary and Conclusions by Peter SchwanseLabour Market Policies and the Public Employment -Service: Main Characteristics and New Challenges by the OECD Secretariat External Audits of the Public Employment Service in the 1990s by the OECD Secretariat Part I. The Labour Exchange Function of the Public Employment Service A Model Local Employment Office in Portugal by Antonio Charana and Vitor Rodrigues Computer Touchscreen and Internet Job Brokering Services by Eddy Vercammen and Edy Geerts Marketing to Employers in the Netherlands by Jeannette van Yperen One-Stop Statecraft: Restructuring Workforce Development Programs in the United States by David E. Balducchi and Alison J. Pasternak Part II. Unemployment Benefits and Activation Measures Some Conflicts between Employment Policy and Social Policy in the Czech Republic by Milan Horalek Eligibility Criteria for Unemployment Benefits by David Grubb None Monitoring and Assisting Active Job Search by Patricia M. Anderson From Restart to the New Deal in the United Kingdom by William Wells The Active Labour Market Policy in Denmark by Inge Maerkedahl The Activation and Qualification of Social Assistance Recipeints in Oslo by Nina Backer roed and lars Mannsaker Activation: The Point of View of Clients and Front Line Staff by Dan Finn and Martin Blackmore Part III. Design and Implementation Issues for Active Labour Market Policies How Can We Make Active Policies More Effective? The Role of Organisation, Implementation, and Optimal Allocation in Active Labour Market Policy by Jaap de Koning Implementation Issues in Finland: Experiences, Developments, and Context of Labour Market Policy Measures by Heikki Raisanen Part IV. Structure of the Public Employment Service Introduction of Contestability in the Delivery of Employment Services in Australia by Leslie Riggs None Labour Market Policies in Employment Services in Canada: A New Collaborative Approach by the Employment Programs Branch, Canada And Conclusions By The Rapporteur -- Labour Market Policies And The Public Employment Service: Main Characteristics And New Challenges / Oecd Secretariat -- External Audits Of The Public Employment Service In The 1990's / Oecd Secretariat -- A Model Local Employment Office In Portugal / A. Charana And V. Rodrigues -- Computer Touchscreen And Internet Job-broking Services / E. Vercammen And E. Geerts -- Marketing To Employers In The Netherlands / J. Van Yperen -- One-stop Statecraft: Restructuring Workforce Development Programs In The United States / D.e. Balducchi And A.j. Paternak -- Some Conflicts Between Employment Policy And Social Policy In The Czech Republic / M. Horálek -- Eligibility Criteria For Unemployment Benefits / D. Grubb. Monitoring And Assisting Active Job Search / P.m. Anderson -- From Restart To The New Deal In The United Kingdom / William Wells -- The Active Labour Market Policy In Denmark / I. Mærkedahl -- The Activation And Qualification Of Social Assistance Recipients In Oslo / N. Backer-rØed And L. Mannsåker -- Activation: The Point Of View Of Clients And Front Line Staff / D. Finn And M. Blackmore -- How Can We Make Active Policies More Effective? The Role Of Organisation, Implementation And Oprimal Allocation In Active Labour Market Policy / J. De Koning -- Implementation Issues In Finland: Experiences, Developments And Context Of Labour Market Policy Measures / Dr. H. Räisänen -- Introduction Of Contestability In The Delivery Of Employment Services In Australia / L. Riggs -- Labour Market Policies And Employment Services In Canada: A New Collaborative Approach / Employment Programs Branch. Includes Bibliographical References. Proponents of an active labour market policy are now claiming part of the credit for large falls in structural unemployment rates that have occurred in some OECD countries. Advances in information technology which facilitate matching job-seekers to jobs, modern management methods, and a favourable economic climate in recent years have encouraged innovative approaches and created new opportunities for the Public Employment Service to help the unemployed return to work. This book presents the proceedings of a conference on Labour Market Policies and the Public Employment Service organised jointly by the OECD and the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Among the themes addressed are: front-line employment service operations, one-stop offices and decentralised management; customer service and employer service; the advanced use of information technology; eligibility conditions for unemployment benefits; job guarantees for the long-term unemployed and other strategies of intervention in the unemployment spell; and improving the accountability of the Public Employment Service through external audits, the use of performance indicators, appropriate financing mechanisms, and contestability in the provision of services. The papers reflect the views of key actors -- politicians, senior officials from national labour ministries and employment services, front-line managers, and prominent academic experts -- on these important issues.