Active labour market policy

The active employment policy aims at contributing to ensuring a well-functioning labour market. This takes place in the form of a number of measures in relation to both unemployed and employed persons who are looking for a job or wishing to undergo training or education. And it takes place in the form of measures targeted upon both private and public enterprises.

The active labour market policy has four overall objectives:

• to assist jobseekers in finding a job
• to offer services to private and public employers who are looking for labour or wish to retain their workforce
• to help persons who are receiving social assistance or start help to find a job quickly so that they will be able to support themselves and their families
• to help persons who due to reduced working capacity have a special need for assistance in finding a job

The employment measures apply to all unemployed persons irrespective of whether they are receiving unemployment benefits, social assistance, start help or sickness benefits.

It is a matter of a coherent employment policy with the focus on individualised measures in order to qualify and motivate the individual person to seek and obtain employment on the ordinary labour market. The emphasis is on making work pay. And on ensuring that all unemployed persons are actually available for work. All unemployed persons have a right and duty to receive an activation offer.

The public employment service (PES) is responsible for measures in relation to unemployed persons who are receiving unemployment benefits. The municipal authorities are responsible in relation to measures for unemployed persons who are receiving social assistance, start help or sickness benefits.

There is one single Act that covers all employment measures and as from year 2007 all services will be offered by joint job centres in the individual municipalities.

The National Labour Market Authority (AMS) has the overall responsibility for the implementation and follow-up to employment policy measures. The legislation includes the following acts (available only in Danish):