Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88) - North Macedonia (Ratification: 1991)

The Committee takes note of the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th Session (June 2020). The Committee proceeded with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information received from the Government, as well as on the basis of the information contained in its report received in April 2020.

Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee had previously requested the Government to provide information on the results of the active labour market measures implemented by the Employment Service Agency of the Republic of North Macedonia (ESARNM), including information on measures taken to improve its services, as well as statistical data on the number of employment offices, applications for employment received, vacancies notified and persons placed in employment. The Committee welcomes the detailed response provided by the Government in its supplementary report. The Government indicates that the ESARNM is composed of a central service (9 sectors with 20 departments and 2 non-sectoral departments) and 30 employment centres with 21 dispersed offices. The Committee takes note of the updated statistics communicated by the Government concerning the results of measures taken by the ESARNM in the framework of the annual Operational Plans implemented throughout 2018 and 2019 and during the first half of 2020. The Government reports that, in the first half of 2020, the employment services provided included: assistance to jobseekers (19,906 unemployed persons); motivational trainings (369 unemployed persons); preparation for employment trainings aimed at young people (16 unemployed youth); vocational guidance and career counselling (478 persons), activation of unemployed Roma and other persons at risk of social exclusion; placement in employment (1,108 requests received); and services for employers (including 1,019 meetings with employers in employment centres and workplace premises, group meetings and forums). In respect of specific groups that face particular difficulties in accessing the labour market, the Committee takes note of the Government’s reference to the “EU-funded project on Activation of vulnerable groups on the labour market”. The Committee notes that the annual Operational Plans provide for surveys to be conducted on skills needs to provide short-term indicators of employers’ needs and the skills that jobseekers should possess to be competitive in the labour market. The surveys were carried out in 2018 and 2019 and a Survey of skills needs for 2021 is planned for the end of 2020. The Government also reports that the Ministry of Information, Society and Administration launched a portal (uslugi.gov.mk) in 2020 which contains all the information and services provided by the ESARNM concerning employment, unemployment insurance, registries and other services. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information, including statistics disaggregated by age and sex, on the nature and impact of measures taken to provide a free public employment service that ensures the best possible organisation of the labour market. In particular, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the activities and impacts of the measures taken to address employment challenges faced by disadvantaged groups in the labour market, including through the EU-funded project on Activation of Vulnerable Groups on the Labour Market. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the development, implementation and impact of measures taken in the framework of the Operational Plans of the ESARNM, taking into account the health and socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government is requested to indicate progress made as well as the specific challenges encountered, and the measures taken to address them.

Articles 4 and 5. Cooperation with the social partners. In reply to the Committee’s previous direct request, the Government reports that the Executive Board of the ESARNM is a collective organ which, in accordance with Article 89 of the Law on Employment and Insurance in case of Unemployment, is composed of nine members/experts with experience in the field of employment. Five of the members/experts are appointed by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, whereas of the four remaining Board members, two are selected and appointed by employers’ organizations and two by the workers’ organizations. The functions of the Executive Board are regulated by law and include reviewing reports, information and other materials related to the national employment situation and issues in the field of employment and unemployment, adopting the annual Programme of work for the ESARNM and reviewing proposals and initiatives to improve its work. The employers and trade unions present their requirements regarding the competence and activities of the ESARNM at the meetings of the Executive Board. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information, including examples, on the manner and extent to which the social partners participate in the organisation and operation of the Executive Board of the ESARNM, particularly in relation to the development and implementation of a national employment service policy.

Article 8. Special arrangements for young workers. The Government indicates that the high youth unemployment rate in the country demonstrates the need to take measures to improve the situation of young people in the labour market, mainly by facilitating the transition from education to employment. The Government refers to the introduction in December 2019 of a Youth Employment Support Union in the Department of Active Measures and Services for Employment. It adds that, since March 2018, the ESARNM has been implementing the Youth Guarantee programme. The programme entitles young persons up to 29 years of age, to receive an appropriate offer of employment, an opportunity to continue in education, or to be involved in an active employment measure, within 4 months of registering with the ESARNM as unemployed. In 2018, 5266 persons were included in the programme. Of this total, 1879 found employment (224 through the employment service), 281 were included in other active employment measures and 1342 persons were still waiting after 4 months. The Government indicates that the success of the Youth Guarantee programme in 2018 was therefore considered to be 41 per cent. In 2019, 20,302 persons (10,501 women) participated in the programme, out of which 6,036 found employment, while 1,177 persons were included in other active employment measures. In the first six months of 2020, 11,100 persons (5,442 women) participated in the programme, out of which 2,500 persons found a job and 729 persons were included in other active employment measures. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the annual Operational Plans for 2018, 2019 and 2020 call for at least 30 per cent of those included in the active employment programmes and measures to be young people up to the age of 29, but that this proportion was exceeded, with more than 50 per cent of included persons being young persons up to the age of 29. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated detailed information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the nature and impact of the measures implemented by the ESARNM on young persons’ access to decent work and lasting employment. In addition, the Government is requested to provide information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment opportunities for young persons and the measures taken or envisaged to mitigate the consequences of the crisis on youth employment.

Article 9. Status and training of employment service staff. The Government indicates that 417 employment service staff positions were filled in 2019 and 407 in 2020. The Government adds that the ESARNM continuously contributes to the development, strengthening and promotion of its human resources, their skills and competencies by adopting and pursuing an individual professional development plan. In 2020, two specialized trainings were organized for ESARNM staff: a “Training for counselling employers,” attended by 50 staff and a “Youth Guarantee Training”, in which 30 staff participated. Furthermore, 47 persons completed the Gender equality virtual training. The Committee notes that due to the COVID-19 crisis, planned professional development activities and trainings did not take place during the first half of 2020. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the status and working conditions of staff of the Employment Service Agency of the Republic of North Macedonia (ESARNM), as well as on the measures taken to ensure adequate skills development, training and promotion of employment services staff.

Article 11. Cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies. The Government indicates that, according to section 59-b of the Employment Insurance Act, private employment agencies enjoy equality of treatment with the ESARNM in terms of employment mediation services and access to the register of unemployed persons. Moreover, the 2018 Act on Private Employment Agencies regulates the conditions and procedures for the establishment and operation of private employment agencies. Section 4 of the Act provides that the ESARNM and private employment agencies should exchange information on job openings and on the assignment of unemployed persons for employment. On this basis, the ESARNM has already concluded several memoranda of understanding with private employment agencies to regulate procedures for data exchange. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed information on the measures taken to promote and maintain effective cooperation and coordination between the ESARNM and private employment agencies, as contemplated under Article 11 of the Convention.