In 2001 the number of unemployed people remained nearly the same as in 2000 (in December 2001 the unemployment numbers had fallen by 0.3% in comparison with December 2000). There were 87,673 new instances of unemployment registration, 52,664 people found employment in regular or special forms of employment, and 35,276 were deleted from the register for reasons not connected to employment.

In 2001 job advisers focused special attention on the development of employment plans. For 2001 the ESS set itself the target of placing 54,000 unemployed people in jobs. The target number was set by taking into account demand and supply within individual ROs. Taking Slovenia as a whole, the success rate was 85.9% (46,366 placements). The success rate in achieving the targets differed from RO to RO: in some it exceeded the number of planned job placements; in others it was below the set target. The reasons for not achieving the targets included the structure of people registered with the ESS, a fall in demand for labour, the economic situation and the situation on local labour markets and, partly, overworked ESS staff, the ESS internal set-up and varying levels of intensity of work in individual stages of mediation.

Compared with the previous year, the demand for labour fell slightly in 2001 (by 4.3%), if we only take into account demand for workers and trainees (and exclude demand for foreign workers). Despite the fall in overall labour demand in 2001, more employers showed a desire to work with the ESS to find workers to fill their vacancies. For the whole of Slovenia this share was 38.4% (in 2000 it was 34.1%). In 2001, therefore, the growing demand by employers to work with the ESS to find workers to fill their vacancies continued. This was brought about by the intensification of contact between the ESS and employers, and by a number of changes to the organisation of work within the ESS aimed at improving the efficiency and professionalism of its work with employers.

Table VIII: Number of registered vacancies for workers and trainees, referrals and job placements, January-December 2001

* This column includes all registered job vacancies, with the exception of those for which employers stated that they wished to employ a foreign citizen.
** Excluding people in public works programmes.

During 2001 a trial project on improving the mediation procedure was carried out as part of a Phare Twinning project in three LOs: Ajdovščina, Domžale and Ptuj. There are plans for the experience gained in these LOs to be applied, depending on the staffing and organisational possibilities, to ESS work throughout the country.

4.2.	EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMMES

The following points of departure were taken into account in the execution of employment programmes:

• conditions on the labour market in 2001;
  
• an analysis of the results of evaluation of past employment measures and programmes;
  
• strategic objectives in the labour market as laid down by the National Programme for the Development of the Labour Market and Employment Up To 2006;
  
• existing financial, personnel and material sources for planned programmes;
  
• the harmonisation of the programmes with the Employment Action Programme for 2000 and 2001, and the National Development Programme.
  

There were a number of new features applied in the execution of programmes, including:

• more emphasis placed on preventive programmes;
  
• possibility of adapting to the level of unemployment in a particular environment;
  
• intensification of programmes linking the labour market with education and training;
  
• adaptation of programmes and measures to groups of people who find it difficult to find work.
  

Table IX: Participants in active employment policy programmes, 1991-2001

Note:
*The figure of 30,889 includes those who joined preparations for employment in 1998, those in jobclubs and those in Programme 5000 in the 1998/99 academic year, which is in line with the additions and changes to active employment policy measures for 1999, adopted by the government at its 140th session on 14 Dec 1999.
**The number includes all those in Programme 5000 in the 2001/02 academic year.
***In 1999, 6,309 unemployed people took part in various forms of education and training for self-employment.
****In regions with an above-average unemployment rate.

Employment programmes were joined by more difficult-to-employ people, older people and the longterm unemployed, which helped to improve the unemployment structure at the end of the year.

4.2.1. Education and training

Education and training programmes are carried out as part of measure to prepare unemployed people for employment, which is one of the most important active employment policy programmes. The objectives of education and training programmes follow EU employment policy directives and the Employment Action Programme for 2000 and 2001, adopted by the Slovenian government in November 1999. By executing education and training programmes, the ESS followed its key objectives, which were as follows:

• to reduce unemployment, especially among young people;
  
• to prevent longterm unemployment;
  
• to ease transition from school to work;
  
• to ensure the return of people to the labour market;
  
• to ensure the social integration of unemployed people.

The ESS paid special attention to the implementation of education and training programmes aimed at the following target groups: young unemployed people under 26 for whom there was the possibility of joining the unemployment register within the first six months of applying; unemployed people with no professional qualifications or unsuitable skills for the demands of the labour market; longterm unemployed people; and other categories of people who find it difficult to obtain employment.

Execution of education and training programmes in 2001

In 2001 unemployed people joined various ESS programmes on the basis of an employment plan. Between 1 January and 31 December 2001, 24,022 people joined employment and training programmes for the first time.

Figure 16: Number of participants in education and training programmes, 1992-2001

As part of education and training, several different groups of programmes were available in 2001.

Programmes of assistance in planning a professional career and in job-seeking:

The aim of programmes of assistance in planning career objectives and in jobseeking is to motivate participants to take a more active approach to jobseeking and thus increase their own responsibility for their future career path. In this group of programmes, which include programmes of informing and motivating, workshops on jobseeking and workshops on identifying career objectives, 6,287 unemployed people took part (26.2% of all who took part in programmes in 2001). Programmes of assistance in planning career objectives and in jobseeking are normally short. The costs of joining the programme and the travel expenses of participants are covered and refunded by the ESS.

Personal development programmes

Personal development programmes are designed with the intention of enabling people who have been unemployed for a long time to make a new start, ensuring the social integration of people who find it difficult to find employment, and gradually removing obstacles to the employment of such people. These programmes are aimed at increasing the activities of the most vulnerable target groups of unemployed people, who often suffer from longterm unemployment, are poorly educated, lack work experience, are impassive and depressed, feel excluded from society and work, and receive no support within their environment.

Number of participants and structural characteristics: In 2001, 1,945 unemployed people joined these programmes. The majority were longterm unemployed people (58.7%), unemployed people who had attained the 1st or 2nd levels of education only (66.7%) and people over 40 (43.4%); 17.6% of participants were disabled. Most of the older unemployed people joined the "Mint of Knowledge and Employment" programme, while young unemployed people with no qualifications and encountering difficulties in adapting took part in the "Project Learning for Young Adults" project, which is a publicly accredited programme of education for young people, jointly funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the ESS.

Job placements for participants: Even though it is not the primary objective of these programmes to facilitate entry into employment, 316 participants (16.2%) had found work by the end of the year.

Jobclubs

Jobclubs, in existence since 1995, are a more permanent form of training unemployed people in successful jobseeking. Courses last three months: the first three weeks are set aside for intensive training of participants on how to behave on the labour market and where to seek employment; for the remainder of the course the participants, who are assisted and supported by a trained jobclub leader and other club members, systematically look for jobs. The participants are also provided with access to all the available technology and communications when jobseeking.

Number of participants in 2001 and structural characteristics: A total of 2,092 unemployed people were referred to this programme; most of them were women (74.7%), unemployed people who had attained the 5th level of education (43.2%), people under the age of 26 (42.7%), and the longterm unemployed (41.3%). First-time jobseekers, disabled people and recipients of unemployment benefits and assistance also took part.

Job placements for participants: By the end of the year, 581 of those who completed training had found employment. Consistently over 50% of jobclub members have found employment in the six years of the programme's existence.

Additional training and education programmes allow participants to acquire know-how, skills and abilities to perform various tasks and jobs and thus expand their employment opportunities. As part of these programmes, courses, seminars and other training programmes are conducted.

Number of participants in 2001 and their structural characteristics: A total of 4,214 unemployed people joined additional training and education programmes in 2001, the majority of whom were women (62.5%), the longterm unemployed (33.8%), unemployed people with the 1st or 2nd levels of education (12.7%), young people under 26 (30.9%), people over 40 (24.9%), and the disabled.

Success rate and job placement for participants: Even though the effects of job placement are measured six months after the end of the programme, at the end of December 2001 the share of those who had completed training and found employment was 39.2%.

The purpose of work trials, introduced by the ESS in 2000, is to test an unemployed person's know-how, skills, ability and interest in working in a specific profession or job. The programme can be carried out at an employer or in an institution for professional training. This provides the employer with an opportunity to test the skills and abilities of future employees before signing a contract, and is recommended for all future employers before they sign a trainee contract with an unemployed person for vocational training under the dual system (Programme 5000). The unemployed can take part in this programme for a maximum of one month.

Number of participants in 2001: 1,497 unemployed people.

Job placement for participants: By the end of the year, 1,490 had completed the programme and 1,102 (73.9%) found employment.

Introduction to work programme

This programme helps employers who take on new workers (the ESS part-funds the wages and training costs for such workers), as well as unemployed people who lack the skills or know-how to work for the employer. In the case of difficult-to-employ people, training can be conducted without employment, but is normally carried out as on-the-job training.

Number of participants in the introduction to work programme without employment in 2001: A total of 272 difficult-to-employ people took part. By the end of the year, 165 participants had completed the programme and 80 found employment after completion.

Number of participants in the introduction to work programme as on-the-job training in 2001: As part of this programme, 2,919 unemployed people acquired training. The number of participants in the programme in 2001 increased by 2.5% in comparison with 2000.

Programme 5000

Programme 5000 has been carried out by the ESS since 1998. This programme is, in compliance with the Act, prepared for each academic year by the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, in collaboration with other key institutions responsible for the development of human resources, and is adopted by the Slovenian government. Programme 5000 allows unemployed people to acquire publicly accredited education in those fields where there is a demand for labour and therefore opportunities for employment. The type and number of vacancies for students are determined for each academic year separately on the basis of an assessment of labour demand and of educational capacities at local/regional levels.

Tabel X: Participants in Programme 5000, 2001/2002 academic year

Figure 17: Participants in Programme 5000 to date

Conclusion

A total of 24,022 new participants joined programmes of education and training in 2001, which was a rise of 2.6% on the year before. By including various target groups of unemployed people in different education and training programmes, most of the main objectives were achieved in 2001.

The figures on the number of people who successfully completed programmes and who found work after the programme at the time of the preliminary survey are satisfactory. Of course, the actual success of education and training programmes will be measured six months after the end of the programme, i.e. in July 2002.

4.2.2. Refunding of contributions to employers

The refunding of contributions to employers is a selective active employment policy measure, and one that focuses chiefly on companies. The aim of this type of measure, which includes the programme of refunding employers' contributions, is to encourage employers to employ new workers, the difficult-to-employ, first-time jobseekers, older and longterm unemployed people, and recipients of financial assistance who are participants in passive forms of employment programme.

With the help of the programme, 1,889 unemployed people were taken on for at least two years in 1998 (6,223 in 1999, 8,101 in 2000) and 7,024 unemployed people or redundant workers found employment in 2001.

4.2.3. Support for self-employment

In line with the new Rules on the Execution of Active Employment Policy Measures, the ESS carried out the following two measures within support for self-employment: assistance in becoming self-employed and joint funding of the costs of business promotion.

Assistance in becoming self-employed

The measure of providing assistance in becoming self-employed allows unemployed people/future entrepreneurs to obtain basic information on the possibilities for self-employment, on the procedures required in order to become self-employed, and on the factors that must be taken into account when setting up a project to become self-employed. This type of information is provided during informative seminars, workshops and individual advice session.

A total of 10,159 unemployed people were involved in various types of assistance in becoming self-employed. In comparison with 2000, the number of people joining the programme slightly increased.

Joint funding of the costs of business promotion

Unemployed people who took part in the programme of support for self-employment had procedural documents and a business plan which showed that their business idea (and therefore self-employment) was viable, and were entitled to a grant at the start of operation. This grant was available in several forms.

A total of 1,748 unemployed people became self-employed in 2001; of these, 749 people received non-returnable grants, 982 used the refunding of contributions to unemployed people who become self-employed, and 31 future entrepreneurs took out loans. Self-employment grew in 2001 compared with 2000.

As in 2000, the largest share of people to become self-employed was formed by those who had attained the 3rd or 4th levels of education, closely followed by those who had attained the 5th level. The share of entrepreneurs with the 1st and 2nd levels of education is growing, as they find it increasingly difficult to find employment otherwise. The proportion of people with higher and university degrees is falling. What is interesting is that the proportion of self-employed women increased (37% compared to the 2000 figure of 34.9%). As in the past, self-employment is most often chosen by mature people, i.e. those aged between 30 and 40, followed by those aged between 40 and 50, which shows that even those with difficulties in finding employment are seeking ways to find employment through self-employment programmes.

The predominant legal form of self-employment remains the sole trader. The areas most often selected include retail, business services, construction and, increasingly, agriculture.

Table XI: Support for self-employment, 1991-2001

Note:
*Financial support awarded upon self-employment in the form of non-returnable grants, loans or the refunding of contributions upon becoming self-employed.

In addition to the ministries, the ESS was one of the partners in the execution of programmes within the Employment Action Programme for 2000 and 2001, while the Centre for the Promotion of Small Business was the programme provider. The ESS continued its collaboration with the Centre for the Promotion of Small Business on the following joint projects:

• development and application of a system of subsidised advice on the basis of referrals (the voucher system);
  
• business creativity of young people;
  
• support for the professional affirmation of women;
  
• introduction of work from home and teleworking.
  

4.2.4. Training and employment for disabled people and the subsidising of sheltered workshops

The share of disabled people among the unemployed as a whole continued to grow in 2001, reaching 17.9% by the end of December. The number of unemployed disabled people therefore increased in 2001 by 1,505 (8.7%).

Figure 18: Trends in the number of unemployed disabled people, 1995-2001

Figure 19: Registered unemployed disabled people, by type of disability, 1989-2001

Far more worrying than the size of this group is its structure and the related employment opportunities with regard to the following:

• Education levels: 60% of all disabled people had attained the 1st or 2nd levels (compared to 46.8% of the unemployed as a whole with the 1st or 2nd levels).
  
• Age: 37% are aged between 40 and 50 (23.2% for the unemployed as a whole), and 42% of all unemployed disabled people are over 50 (24.4% for the unemployed as a whole).
  
• Waiting period: the average waiting period for the disabled is five years, one month and 18 days (two years, seven months and 22 days for the unemployed as a whole).

Table XII: Ratio between the number of unemployed people and unemployed disabled people, 1995-2001

A total of 1,245 disabled people joined regular education and training programmes in 2001, as follows:

• 27.2% joined personal development programmes;
  
• 18% joined on-the-job training;
  
• 16.1% joined programmes for obtaining publicly accredited qualifications;
  
• 16.2% joined programmes of assistance in the development of career objectives and in jobseeking;
  
• 13% joined programmes of additional training and education;
  
• 3.9% undertook work trials;
  
• 4.2 % joined jobclubs;
  
• 1.5% joined training without employment.
  

A total of 349 disabled people joined public works programmes.

Vocational rehabilitation has the aim of creating employment opportunities by dealing with special needs and obstacles in employment. These programmes are carried out as assistance in developing employment plans and preparing for employment for specific groups of disabled and difficult-to-employ people suffering from complex impediments to their employment. In 2001, 1,077 people joined occupational rehabilitation programmes, which was a rise of 15.8% in comparison with the same period the year before.

The refunding of part of the cost of disabled employees to sheltered workshops on the account of their lower ability to work is paid on the basis of Rules on Refunding Part of the Costs to Sheltered Workshops. A sheltered workshop is entitled to a refund for a disabled person who is employed by the company in the month for which the refund is paid and who has been granted disabled person status with a final decision taken by the competent body. The refund amount depends on the severity of the disability and can amount to 25%, 50% or 75% of the guaranteed wage per month per disabled employee. In 2001 the number of sheltered companies claiming refunds for disabled employees increased by two; there were 144 such companies at the end of December. The number of disabled people in employment also increased, by 5.4%, standing at 6,154 at the end of December.

4.2.5. Public works

Unemployed people join public works programmes on the basis of a special contract of employment signed with the public works provider and regulated by labour legislation on working hours, breaks and rest periods, night work, minimum annual leave, health and safety at work, and special protection for workers. An unemployed person typically spends a quarter of the duration of a public work programme in a training programme.

In 2001, 2,247 public works programmes were carried out; a total of 9,374 worked on these programmes. The monthly average was 5,217 unemployed participants. The share of unemployed people working in public works in 2001 was 9% of the total number of unemployed people.

Public works were joined by target groups as follows:

• 50% had been registered with the ESS for over one year;
  
• 37.6% were unemployed people over 40;
  
• 12% were unemployed people over 50;
  
• 3.8% were people under 26 with no professional skills;
  
• 59.6% were receiving unemployment benefits or unemployment assistance, or benefits from social security centres.
  

The target groups included unemployed people in severe social distress and unemployed people who are less than fully employable due to medical or other restrictions.

The priority target groups on whose behalf the ESS provided financial incentives for public works providers by contributing 50% of the starting wage, which is otherwise is paid by the contractor or subcontractor, were as follows:

• men over 53 (4.8% of the total);
  
• women over 48 (5.9%);
  
• recipients of unemployment benefit over 45 (9.5%);
  
• disabled people (3.7%).
  

Since some of the participants fall into several target categories at the same time, the shares cannot be added together.

Figure 20: Participants in public works, by activity, 2001

In 2001, 1,260 participants in public works programmes found employment (13.4%). Figures on the number of people who found jobs are still incomplete - a survey will be carried out six months after the completion of the public works programmes (i.e. on 30 June 2002). In addition to those who found jobs, there were 2,207 people who did not re-register once the public work programme had ended, or did not join a public works programme in 2002 (it can therefore be assumed that most of them found work). This means that by 31 December 2001, 3,467 people (37% of all those who joined public works programmes in 2002) had taken themselves off the register.

A total of 2,250 participants joined 15 national public works programmes in 2001. The programmes with the highest numbers of participants were as follows: Personnel Development in Social Care; Physical Assistance to Children or Young People with Physical Disabilities; Learning Assistance to the Unemployed in Education Programmes; Agricultural Work in Wine, Fruit and Hop Production; Mobile Teams in Agriculture; Assistance in Refugee Centres; and Assistance in Voluntary Fire Brigades.

4. 2. 6. Regional and local employment projects, and local development initiatives, and the joint funding of trainee periods

Regional and local employment projects, and local development initiatives

Twelve contracts for local employment programmes were signed by the ESS with providers selected by public tender (Ur. l. RS, no. 87-88/00). Six programmes are rural, three are in the tourist industry and three are for the area of traditional arts and crafts. By the end of 2001 local employment programmes had been joined by 248 unemployed people; 62 found employment in the same period.

Joint funding of trainee periods

The purpose of this programme, which is based on a public tender to apply for a refund for part of the wages of a trainee, is to increase employment opportunities for trainees with higher or university qualifications (and no work experience) in areas where unemployment is above the average. The aims of the programme are: to allow trainees to train for independent work within the profession or activity concerned and allow them to take a professional exam; and to allow first-time jobseekers to acquire work experience. The employer agrees to provide the trainee with a suitable mentor and to employ the trainee for at least double the duration of trainee period.

Under contracts between employers and the ESS, 102 trainee periods had been approved by the end of 2001. Forty-four were carried out in that period.

4. 2. 7. Cooperation in company restructuring projects

In 2001 the government's company restructuring project, which began in 1996, was completed. The aim of the project was to prevent redundant workers from becoming openly unemployed and to raise human resource management, and investment in its development in selected companies, to a higher level. In 2001, 795 workers from six companies were involved. Despite the fact that the project has been completed, the ESS's task is to continue monitoring the number of people working in these companies, as these companies have to maintain employment at the level determined in the contract for two years after conclusion of the project.

4.2.8. Labour funds

Labour funds are institutions formed for the purpose of executing active employment policy measures that work on returning to work or finding another employment for redundant workers. They are private legal entities that can be set up for the area covered by one municipality or several municipalities, and for one or several companies. There are regional, branch and business labour funds.

There were 13 labour funds operating in Slovenia in 2001; with the exception of one (a business labour fund), they were all regional. Labour funds bring together social partners at the local, regional and national levels (municipalities, trade unions, chambers of commerce and small business, companies, business centres, incubators, technology parks, etc.).

In 2001 labour funds expanded their operation to include potentially redundant workers, thus also playing a preventive role. Potentially redundant workers are deemed to be workers employed by commercial companies in a procedure of financial reorganisation with plans for a forced settlement or bankruptcy procedure. Here, labour funds, in addition to their basic role of preventing redundant workers from becoming openly unemployed, make an increasingly pronounced contribution towards the staff restructuring of Slovenian companies and their human resources.

In 2001 labour funds dealt with a total of 1,899 participants, of whom 427 (22.5%) were unemployed people. There were 809 redundant people (42.6% of the total) and 663 potentially redundant workers (34.9%). Of all participants in labour funds, 772 (40.7%) found employment and 219 pursued other options (education, retirement, etc.).

4.2.9. Preservation of Jobs

This programme was based on a public tender to apply for a refund of part of the costs of preserving jobs. The purpose of the tender was to accelerate economic development in less developed areas and to eliminate the consequences of natural disasters and other extraordinary events. Through the tender, companies were able to acquire funding equivalent to three minimum wages for every job preserved, but not more than SIT 20 million per company in total. A total of SIT 127 million was distributed between 30 companies for preserving over 1,000 jobs.

4.2.10. "A Thousand New Opportunities" and subsidising the employment of homecare providers

"A Thousand New Opportunities" pilot programme

The aim of the "Thousand New Opportunities" pilot programme for the subsidising of employment in non-profit activities, which began in 2000 on the basis of a public tender, was to encourage new jobs and more equal opportunities for employment in the non-profit sphere for target groups of unemployed people. Unemployed people who had previously participated in public works for at least a year, such as people over 45, disabled people registered with the ESS for over three years, single parents and longterm unemployed people under 26, joined the programme. In terms of content, the programme is an expansion of the public works programmes that have been carried out for years, and means for those involved a transition to regular employment.

The selected providers provided 127 placements in 2000 and an additional 163 in 2001.

Figure 21: Participants in "A Thousand New Opportunities", 2001

Programme of subsiding employment as homecare providers

As part of the Active Employment Policy Programme adopted by the Slovenian government, a new programme entitled Subsiding Employment as Homecare Providers was launched in 2001. The purpose of this programme is to ensure more permanent employment for people who, prior to this, had taken part in public works or the "Thousand New Opportunities" programme providing personal help and care to the disabled or elderly in their homes. The target groups of unemployed people for this programme were as follows: unemployed people over the age of 50; people who had been unemployed for over three years; and other difficult-to-employ people.

For 2001 the Supervisory Office, which monitors whether unemployed people are fulfilling their obligations and other conditions, planned an increase in monitoring of providers of employment programmes (employers) and a corresponding decrease in monitoring of unemployed people. In 2001 monitoring was carried out in some labour funds, sheltered workshops, providers of public works programmes, and on work sites where people were working as part of approved public works programmes.

Between January and December 2001 the office commenced 1,268 instances of monitoring: 1,089 of unemployed people (to establish whether they were fulfilling their obligations as unemployed people) and 179 of legal entities (to establish whether employers and programme providers were fulfilling their contractual obligations), which was a near threefold increase in monitoring of ESS contractual partners.

Figure 22: Number of instances of monitoring commenced in 2001, by type

Of the total number of instances of monitoring commenced in 2001, 1,192 were completed and 76 continued into 2002 (monitoring is considered to be complete when the Supervisory Office receives notice from the authorised official informing it of an executed measure).

Based on established failure to fulfil obligations, 132 unemployed people were deleted from the register; in 15 cases they also lost their rights stemming from unemployment insurance. Due to failure to fulfil contractual obligations, 31 proposals to take measures against employers were put forward.

Table XIII: Number of instances of monitoring of the fulfilment of obligations by unemployed people, January-December 2001