Policy changes in regard to the long-term unemployed in four European countries

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24602003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social symbiosis and exclusion
• Research Institution: Hokusho University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Mayumi 北翔大学, 生涯スポーツ学部, 准教授 (80433457)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKADA Kazuo 一橋大学, 名誉教授 (30114953) ; MORI Chikako 高崎経済大学, 地域政策学部, 准教授 (00433673) ; OZAWA Yuka 金沢大学, 経済学経営学系, 准教授 (00582032) ; HIEDA Takeshi 大阪市立大学, 法学研究科, 准教授 (30582598) ; SASAKI Takao 東京福祉大学, 社会福祉学部, 講師 (30433634) ; KUBO Takamitsu 明治大学, 商学部, 助教 (70720671)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 社会政策 / ドイツ / フランス / スウェーデン / オランダ / 長期失業者 / 就労支援 / 社会保障

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Germany, France, and Sweden, public services and cash benefits for jobseekers have been reformed to facilitate social inclusion. Recipients of cash benefits who fail to actively search for jobs are sanctioned. However, there is no evidence that such sanctions increase pressure on benefit recipients to find new jobs. More people in Europe have become eligible for unemployment benefits; furthermore, in the process of awarding benefits, personal interviews have become more important. This suggests that self-determination has become more prevalent in social policy. However, it cannot be said that European countries have adopted identical policies, as the Netherlands has reduced the unemployment rate by relaxing labour market regulations but offers less substantial cash benefits. In Japan, though new programs have been introduced, the burden on public assistance has remained almost the same.

Free Research Field

社会保障・社会政策