21
The right to decent employment and so-
policies aim at creating tax incentives
cial protection
for companies to hire young unemployed people.
“Young people are facing a dramatic situation in terms of precarious work and living conditions. This precariousness translates into a complex problem composed of a variety of different elements : unemployment, temporary work, low salaries, over-qualification.” CJE
As youth employment becomes a more and more complex phenomenon, social protection is called to play an important role in combating social exclusion and achieving youth autonomy. ENL affirms a lack of supporting structures for students, like housing and allowances. In the case of Spain and Cyprus30, social security malfunction is in practice replaced by family support. Usually there is a social security blackhole for first job seekers. For example in
ployment have already been addressed with
Finland, a person who is still in education
regard to the right to autonomy, working
can receive a grant and a housing assist-
conditions and social protection for youth
ance, can apply for a study loan and is also
are dealt with separately here.
covered for health. On the contrary, after
Job insecurity in Europe is rife. According
graduation and in order to become a part
to data provided by Eurostat , young peo-
of social security scheme, he/she has to
ple are more often in temporary employ-
work and be insured for a certain period
ment. In fact, in the EU, nearly 4 out of 10
of time. A similar situation also exists in
employees aged 15 to 24 and 2 out of 10
Lithuania.
29
of those aged 25 to 29 have a temporary contract. Further evidence of this situation comes from the contributions. CJE reports
CNAJEP mentions certain examples of
that the rate of young temporary workers
policies and social security benefits tar-
reaches 45 %, therefore 25 %
geting young people :
above the
rest of the working population. For CJE “this translates into difficulties for life plan-
// the responsibility of the State to train
ning, emancipation, and lack of social pro-
or find employment for the 16-18 years old
tection in case of unemployment”.
who dropped out of school.
In Portugal, where unemployment rates among young people are considerably high-
// the possibility of a 10th month grant for
er than the average, precarious working
students, combined with a reinforced at-
conditions and long periods of job seeking
tendance control.
have been reported. National employment
30. as outlined by the National Youth Policy Reviews by the CoE, www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/IG_Coop/youth_ policy_reviews_en.asp
Findings
While some questions related to youth em-