Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2) - Malta (Ratification: 1965)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Measures to combat unemployment. In response to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that, in 2018, the employment rate in Malta was estimated at 75 per cent, with the majority of persons being in full-time employment. The Government indicates that, to promote more active participation of women in the labour market, it has implemented the Free Childcare Scheme, through which the Government provides free childcare services for children below the age of three whose parents are in employment or education. It adds that, as a result of the Scheme, the employment rate of women aged 20–64 increased from 51.7 per cent in 2013 to 63.4 per cent in 2018. Moreover, with the objective of increasing the number of persons with disabilities in the labour market, the Government implemented a number of incentives, including allowing for persons with disabilities to keep receiving a disability pension while in employment, monetary incentives for employers hiring persons with disabilities and enforcement of the legal quota requiring that at least 2 per cent of employees of employers with more than 20 workers, must be persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that, in 2017 and 2018, 468 persons with disabilities participated in the schemes offered by the public employment service, Jobsplus. The Government indicates that the Work Programme Initiative (WPI) implemented by Jobsplus in collaboration with the private sector, assists long term unemployed persons and those inactive in the labour market in finding employment, providing profiling, training and job placement services. The Committee notes that 1,550 persons benefited from the WPI since its launch in 2015. The Government also refers to the Migrant Integration Plan, which integrates migrants and refugees in the Maltese labour market by providing for the granting of work permits to persons covered by international protection, including asylum seekers and long-term residents. In addition, the Government indicates that all courses provided by Jobsplus are also available to such persons. In addition, to prevent exploitation of migrants, Jobsplus opened a Job Brokerage Office, where employers who wish to temporarily hire migrants can do so in accordance with the law. The Job Brokerage Office also maintains an electronic database which provides information on the length of the contract, job description and full details of the employer. The Committee notes that during January–December 2018, 646 persons used the services of the Job Brokerage Office, representing an increase of approximately 34 per cent in comparison to 2017. The Government further indicates that it implements a number of schemes aimed at upskilling the population. The Work Exposure Scheme facilitates transition into employment by providing practical training. The Traineeship Scheme provides initial vocational training to equip unemployed persons with the skills, knowledge and competences required to find employment, whereas the Training Pays Scheme aims to increase the number of adults participating in lifelong learning by refunding 75 per cent of training costs. Furthermore, the Access to Employment Scheme provides financial incentives to enterprises to promote the recruitment of persons who are unemployed and inactive in the labour market. The Committee notes that almost 1,000 persons benefited from the above-mentioned schemes in 2018. The Government also indicates that the Youth Guarantee 2.0 framework, implemented jointly by Jobsplus and the Ministry of Education and Employment, provides measures specifically targeted at young persons who are neither in employment, education or training (NEETs) and young persons at risk of becoming NEETs. As a result of these measures, in 2017, 49 persons found employment, 768 enrolled in further education and 64 began traineeships. The Committee notes that, in 2018, Jobsplus received 126,206 vacancy notifications, representing an increase of some 16.2 per cent compared to 2017. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on measures taken to combat unemployment, particularly with respect to measures targeting persons belonging to disadvantaged groups, such as young persons, persons with disabilities and migrants. Noting that the Government has not provided any information on measures directed to economically underprivileged areas, the Committee reiterates its request that the Government provide information on the nature and impact of those measures. The Committee once again recalls its 2010 General Survey concerning the employment instruments, and invites the Government and the social partners to contemplate the possibility of ratifying more recent instruments regarding the issues covered by the Convention, namely the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), and to keep the Office informed of any developments in this regard.

Article 3. Unemployment insurance. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide more detailed information on unemployment insurance arrangements and their implementation. The Government indicates that any unemployed person is eligible to claim unemployment benefits on condition that the person is registered in the Jobsplus Part I Unemployment Register and fulfils the contributions criteria established in the Social Security Act (Chapter 318 of the Laws of Malta). In the case of workers covered by Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems, contributions paid by workers in different EU Member States are taken into account for the purpose of establishing eligibility for unemployment benefits. The Government indicates that, as a rule, the Social Security Act provides for a single rate of benefit for all workers. The Committee requests the Government to provide up-to-date statistical data, disaggregated by sex and age, on the number of people benefiting from unemployment insurance arrangements.