Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Norway (Ratification: 1966)

Active labour market measures. Labour market data and review mechanisms. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2013 which includes observations made by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). It notes that employment and unemployment rates have been quite stable in Norway during the last few years. The unemployment rate was measured at 3.6 per cent in 2010 and 3.2 per cent in 2012, while the employment rate reached 79.6 per cent in 2010 and 79.9 per cent in 2012. The Government indicates that the active labour market policy (ALMP) aims at shortening periods of unemployment, encouraging labour force participation and combating labour market exclusions. The Committee notes the wide range of measures used to achieve the ALMP, which include information and guidance, follow-up and job-finding measures, work experience schemes and training programmes. The Government indicates that it has reviewed the labour market measures and the suppliers of these measures through the work of an expert committee which recommended extended use of training in an ordinary workplace environment, improving the systems for controlling the quality of training and work practice schemes, increased focus on competence building in work-oriented assistance and to reduce waiting time between and before active measures. The Committee welcomes the information provided and invites the Government to continue to provide information in its next report on employment measures adopted and their outcomes with the objectives of the Convention.

Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. In reply to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that the implementation process evaluation reports of the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) reforms have pointed to some challenges, which include a heavy workload on the employees at the NAV offices, thus affecting the quality of the follow-up services to the users, and ensuring a coherent provision of services in a partnership model where both municipality and State have a management role. The Government indicates that the evaluation reports have been used as an important source of knowledge for the NAV in their work on developing services and for the Ministry of Labour. The Committee welcomes the ongoing evaluation of the impact of the NAV reform and invites the Government to continue providing information on this matter. It also refers the Government to its comments formulated on the application of the Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142).

Vulnerable categories of workers. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the labour market measures directed at young persons, older workers, persons with disabilities and immigrants. It notes that a tripartite contract for more apprenticeship places for young persons is being implemented with the aim of increasing the number of apprenticeship places by 20 per cent from 2011 to 2015. A jobs strategy for young persons with disabilities is also being implemented for the period 2012–15. In 2013, 900 places in labour market programmes were allocated to the jobs strategy, 400 places more than in 2012. The Government indicates that cooperation with different stakeholders, such as the social partners, is a key element in the jobs strategy. The Committee notes that the social partners and the Government share responsibility for its implementation. In its observations the LO indicates that due to the lack of adequate indicators, it is complicated to analyse the development of the employment rate for people with reduced work capacity. It adds that an important goal is to increase the employment rates for such groups. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide information and data on labour market measures regarding young persons, older workers, persons with disabilities, immigrants, and other vulnerable categories of workers.