Emergency rescue plan for Denmark’s long-term unemployed

The package contains initiatives to the tune of 332m Danish kroner (€44.5m) and came as a result of an agreement between the government and the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, The Confederation of Danish Employers, The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, The Confederation of Professionals in Denmark, Local Government Denmark and the Association of Danish Unemployment Funds. The initiatives are aimed at all the unemployed who stand to loose their right to unemployment benefits from 2013. 

Initiatives:

• A specially designed job contingency plan for all unemployment funds and job centres, which will see professionals in place to help unemployed people who are about to loose their right to unemployment benefits.
• All unemployed people who have six or fewer months left of their unemployment benefits and who risk spending all of their benefits before the second half of 2012 will receive a letter from their unemployment fund which encourages them to seek help through the job contingency plan.
• Unemployed people who do seek help will be given fast and beyond ordinary help and support in order to find jobs.
• Job centres will contact all the unemployed people which the job contingency plan has not been able to talk to. This must happen no later than one month after the letter has gone out from the unemployment fund.

All unemployed people who need more intensive help will be given:

• The right to an intensive job seeking process including a personal helper.
• A better chance securing temporary jobs through the job rotation scheme.
• The right to in-work training to make them qualified for the job.
• The right to get fast access to internships or wage subsidised jobs.