Government target of 40,000 flexi-jobs almost achieved

The Danish government has set a target of creating 40,000 "flexi-jobs" - jobs on special terms for people with a disability, illness or reduced ability to work - before 2005. In mid-1999, a total of 36,500 people are employed on such terms, of whom 16,000 are employed in informal, sheltered jobs without public subsidy. The LO trade union confederation fears that the success of the scheme will halt the creation of sheltered jobs unless the target number is increased.

Several years ago, the Danish government suggested a target of creating 40,000 "flexi-jobs" - subsidised jobs on special terms for people with a disability, illness or reduced ability to work - before 2005 (DK9704108N). In mid-1999, it appears that a total of 36,500 people are presently employed in this way. Figures from the Central Statistical Office (Danmarks Statistik) that 20,406 people receive disability pensions in addition to being wage earners employed on special terms of some kind, while private sector employers employ more than 16,000 people in special sheltered jobs which are not publicly subsidised. In addition, the number of jobs with special flexible working hours has doubled in the course of a year.

According to the Danish Federation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisationen i Danmark, LO), this development shows that there are excellent opportunities to create sheltered jobs on the ordinary labour market. Therefore the fear is that the government's suggested target of 40,000 jobs before 2005 may actually contribute to freezing developments in this area if extraordinary measures are not taken to ensure further progress. This should particularly be seen in the light of other surveys which indicate that about 300,000 wage earners feel that they are incapable of making a full effort at work, even though they are employed on ordinary terms. LO fears that the target of 40,000 for the number of wage earners who should be employed on special terms is inadequate. The risk is that special criteria will arise with regard to obtaining subsidised employment.

LO's attitude is that marginalised and excluded people should be attached to the ordinary labour market, with better conditions to be created through further training and professional development similar to that provided to others on the ordinary labour market. LO is therefore seeking a more reliable framework for those employed in flexi-jobs, in terms of membership of unemployment insurance funds and the right to benefits. LO suggests that the rules for unemployment insurance should be adapted so that these people can maintain their attachment to the ordinary unemployment insurance system and thereby be eligible for daily cash benefits and pre-retirement benefits.