Browse by: "2011"

Sweden reformed its labour migration management policy in 2008 and now has one of the most liberal labour migration regimes in the OECD. This book attempts to answer the question of whether Sweden’s labour migration policy is efficiently working to meet labour market needs that were not being met, without adversely affecting the domestic labour market. The review also examines the impact of the reform on labour migration flows to Sweden and on access to recruitment from abroad by Swedish employers.

After the reform, employers in Sweden were able to recruit  workers from abroad for any occupation, as long as the job had been advertised for a nominal period and the prevailing collective bargaining wage and contractual conditions were respected. Overall, Sweden’s new system has not led to a boom in labour migration, although this somewhat surprising result may be related to the slack labour market. The faith in employers appears to be largely justified until now, although there are some vulnerabilities in the system which could be addressed, especially in monitoring workplaces not covered by collective bargaining, and marginal businesses. The particularities of the relatively highly regulated labour market in Sweden may mean that this model is not easily transferable to other countries, but lessons can be drawn for other countries.

The global financial crisis interrupted a protracted period of strong economic growth in the Russian Federation. Despite a large decline in output, job losses and hikes in unemployment remained rather modest, and much of the labour market adjustment took place through reduced working hours and, in particular, real wages. Notwithstanding the recent recovery, the Russian labour market remains characterised by significant structural imbalances resulting in widespread segmentation and large earnings inequalities.

To improve the balance between labour market flexibility and the protection of workers, the Russian Federation needs to reinforce its labour market institutions.
Poverty and income inequalities remain well above the OECD average. Family policy is focused on increasing birth rates, but is ineffective in reducing poverty as working adults and children make up 60% of the poor. Instead, social policy is focused on the elderly and disabled, and in recent years there has been significant increases in transfer payments to pensioners.

Recent reform is likely to “eradicate” poverty among pensioners, as measured by official benchmarks, but raises questions about the long-term financial sustainability of the private pensions system. Rapid population ageing further contributes to the need to raise the low standard pensionable ages in Russia and limit access to early pensions. The challenge for Russia will be to rebalance its social policy towards more effective support for parents to combine work and family life. 

Public Servants as Partners for Growth:Toward a Stronger, Leaner and More Equitable Workforce compiles the main policy lessons of the work of the Public Employment and Management Network of the Public Governance Committee on reallocation of the public workforce, managing competencies, and fostering diversity. Its basic underpinning is that for the public service to make a contribution and underpin the economic recovery and growth it requires modernising its governance structures. Civil service systems are at public management’s core; hence they are central to governmental effectiveness. In the current context, countries need to ensure that the public workforce is motivated and committed to delivery, and produce change, despite the need for pay restraints and redundancies. Investments in the quality of people management, strategic workforce planning, competencies and diversity of the public workforce are critical to make it more competent, flexible and adaptable in order to have a competitive, innovative and inclusive public sector. Governments have to maintain and improve the capacity of the public service while at the same time producing savings. The key issue is seeing the public workforce as an asset and not as a cost.

In the three decades to the recent economic downturn, wage gaps widened and household income inequality  as measured by GINI increased in a large majority of OECD countries. This occurred even when countries were going through a period of sustained economic and employment growth. This report analyses the major underlying forces behind these developments. It examines to which extent economic globalisation, skill-biased technological progress and institutional and regulatory reforms have had an impact on the distribution of earnings. The report further provides evidence of how changes in family formation and household structures have altered household earnings and income inequality. And it documents how tax and benefit systems have changed in the ways they redistribute household incomes. The report discusses which policies are most promising to counter increases in inequalities and how the policy mix can be adjusted when public budgets are under strain.

"Analyses rely on simple statistical techniques that are accessible to a large readership... the graphic and charts are of great help to gain a quick visual grasp of the various issues addressed."

-Choice

The OECD Employment Outlook is an annual publication that surveys labour market conditions in OECD countries and analyses issues of interest to researchers and policy makers. The 2011 issue highlights policy issues related to: the recent economic crisis and the adequacy of income support for the unemployed; social protection and labour markets in emerging economies; earnings volatility; and qualifications mismatch. In the wake of the global economic crisis, the question of how unemployment benefits and other income support schemes can best cushion income losses during a deep recession is examined. More generallly, the risk of large declines in earnings during recessions is analysed and structural labour market reforms are identified which can reduce earnings volatility over the business cycle.

The recent global crisis has also highlighted the importance of social protection schemes in emerging economies, and the Outlook shows how they can be cost effective when they are adapted to national labour market conditions such as a high incidence of informal employment. In all countries, a strong and sustainable economic recovery is more likely if workers have the skills that employers require and are employed in jobs which make good use of their skills. New measures of qualification and skill mismatch are presented and lessons drawn for education systems, life-long learning institutions and labour market policies.

Les Perspectives de l'emploi de l'OCDE est une publication annuelle qui examine les conditions du marché du travail dans les pays de l'OCDE et analyse les enjeux présentant un intérêt pour les chercheurs et les responsables politiques. L’édition 2011 des Perspectives de l'emploi de l'OCDE présente les enjeux politiques relatifs à : la crise économique récente et l’adéquation du soutien au revenu des chômeurs ; la protection sociale et le marché de l’emploi des économies émergentes ; la volatilité des gains ; et le décalage entre les compétences des travailleurs et les besoins des employeurs. Dans un contexte de crise économique mondiale, la question abordée est de savoir comment les allocations chômage et autres dispositifs de soutien des revenus peuvent mieux amortir les pertes de revenu pendant une profonde récession. De manière plus générale, le risque de fortes baisses des gains pendant les récessions est analysé et les réformes structurelles du marché du travail sont identifiées ce qui peut réduire la volatilité des gains au cours du cycle économique.  

La récente crise mondiale a aussi souligné l’importance des systèmes de protection sociale dans les économies émergentes, et les Perspectives montrent comment ces systèmes peuvent être rentables lorsqu’ils sont adaptés aux conditions du marché du travail national telles qu’une forte incidence de l'emploi informel. Dans tous les pays, une reprise économique forte et durable est plus probable si les travailleurs détiennent les compétences recherchées par les employeurs et que leur emploi mette à profit leurs compétences. Cette publication présente des nouvelles mesures contre le décalage entre les compétences des travailleurs et les besoins des employeurs et tire les leçons pour les systèmes éducatifs, les institutions d’apprentissage tout au long de la vie et les politiques du marché du travail.

This book examines the challenges countries are facing with regard to providing and paying for long-term care. With populations ageing and the need for long-term care growing rapidly, this book looks at such issues as: future demographic trends, policies to support family carers, long-term care workers, financing arrangements, long-term care insurance, and getting better value for money in long-term care. 

 

“WHO recognizes that long-term care represents a major challenge for all countries in the world, with important implications for economic development and for the health and well-being of older people. This well-documented book provides a comparative analysis of the common challenges and diverse solutions OECD countries are adopting to respond to the growing demand for long-term care services, and particularly its implications for financing and labour markets.  It provides much needed evidence to guide policy makers and individuals.”

-Dr John Beard, Director, Department of Ageing and Life Course,
World Health Organization

 

“This carefully researched book offers invaluable data and insights into the organization and financing of long-term care in OECD countries.  The book is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in international long-term care”.

-Dr. Joshua M. Wiener, Distinguished Fellow and Program Director
of RTI’s Aging, Disability, and Long-Term Care Program, United States

This book examines the transition of young adults with disabilities from school to tertiary education and work. It analyses the policy experiences of several OECD countries and identifies recent trends in access to education and employment as well as best transition policies and practices. Which factors foster or hinder the transition to tertiary education and work? What are the strengths and weaknesses of policies and support given to young adults with disabilities? What strategies exist in upper secondary schools and tertiary education institutions to smooth this transition and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

It shows that access to tertiary education for young adults with disabilities has improved significantly over the past decade. However, despite the progress that has been made, the transition to tertiary education is still harder for young adults with disabilities than it is for other young adults. Students with disabilities are also less likely than their non-disabled peers to successfully complete their studies, or to access employment.

The book also provides policy recommendations for governments and education institutions. These recommendations are designed to give young adults with disabilities the same success and transition opportunities that other young adults already enjoy and to improve hereby their right to education and to inclusion.

Cet ouvrage analyse la transition des jeunes adultes handicapés vers l’enseignement tertiaire et vers l’emploi. Il analyse les politiques développées par plusieurs pays de l’OCDE et identifie les tendances récentes en termes d’accès à l’éducation et à l’emploi ainsi que les meilleures politiques et pratiques en matière de transition. Quels facteurs facilitent ou entravent la transition vers l’enseignement tertiaire et l’emploi ? Quelles sont les forces et les faiblesses des politiques et des soutiens existants à l’égard des jeunes adultes handicapés ? Quelles stratégies sont développées par les lycées et les établissements d’enseignement tertiaire pour faciliter cette transition et quelles sont leurs forces et leurs faiblesses ?

Il montre que l’accès à l’enseignement tertiaire des jeunes adultes handicapés a progressé de manière significative depuis dix ans. Toutefois, en dépit des progrès effectués, la transition vers l’enseignement tertiaire persiste à être plus difficile pour les jeunes adultes handicapés que pour l’ensemble des jeunes adultes. Les étudiants handicapés ont aussi moins de chances de réussir dans l’enseignement tertiaire ou d’accéder à l’emploi que leurs pairs non handicapés.

Le livre propose également des recommandations à l’attention des gouvernements et des institutions éducatives. Ces recommandations entendent mettre les jeunes adultes handicapés à égalité de chances en termes de réussite et de transition et d’optimiser ainsi la concrétisation de leur droit à l’éducation et à l’inclusion.

Taxing Wages provides unique information on income tax paid by workers and on social security contributions levied upon employees and their employers in OECD countries. In addition, this annual publication specificies family benefits paid as cash transfers. Amounts of taxes and benefits are detailed programme by programme, for eight household types which differ by income level and household composition. Results reported include the marginal and effective tax burden for one- and two-earner families and total labour costs of employers.

These data on tax burdens and cash benefits are widely used in academic research and in the preparation and evaluation of social and economic policy making.

Taxing Wages 2010 includes a special feature entitled a Special Feature entitled: "Wage income tax reforms and changes in tax burdens: 2000-2009".

Les pensions professionnelles jouent un rôle déterminant dans les pays de l’OCDE et dans les autres régions du monde, car elles complètent les revenus des retraités provenant de sources publiques. Fin 2009, l’épargne-retraite privée se chiffrait à 25 000 milliards USD. Le vieillissement de la population a amené de nombreux pays de l’OCDE à entreprendre un large éventail de réformes des retraites – qui ont eu pour effet, dans l’ensemble, de réduire les engagements des États en matière de retraite publique et donc de donner davantage d’importance à l’épargne-retraite privée.

Les Principes fondamentaux portent sur sept domaines essentiels : i) les conditions d’une réglementation et d’un contrôle efficaces ; ii) la constitution des plans de retraite, des fonds de pension et des sociétés de gestion de fonds de pension ; iii) les engagements au titre des plans de retraite, les règles relatives à la capitalisation, la liquidation et l’assurance ; iv) la gestion des actifs ; v) les droits des participants et des bénéficiaires et l’adéquation des prestations ; vi) la gouvernance ; et vii) le contrôle. Chacun comprend un énoncé du principe et un ensemble de lignes directrices d’application. Les lignes directrices correspondant au principe fondamental consacré au contrôle, intègrent les Principes de l’Organisation Internationale des Autorités de Contrôle des Pensions relatifs au contrôle des pensions privées.

La Méthodologie propose une approche structurée afin d’évaluer la conformité de la réglementation des pensions professionnelles d’une juridiction aux Principes fondamentaux de réglementation des pensions professionnelles.

Innovation holds the key to ongoing improvements in living standards, as well as to solving pressing social challenges. Skilled people play a crucial role in innovation through the new knowledge they generate, how they adopt and develop existing ideas, and through their ability to learn new competencies and adapt to a changing environment.

This book seeks to increase understanding of the links between skills and innovation. It explores the wide range of skills required, ranging from technical to "soft", and the ability to learn; it presents data and evidence on countries' stocks and flows of skills and the links between skill inputs and innovation outputs. Given the importance of meeting the demands of knowledge-based economic activity, the book investigates the issues of skill supply, education, workplace training and work organisation. It highlights the importance of enabling individuals to acquire appropriate skills and of optimising these at work.