Unemployment benefits

The Unemployment Insurance Act 1920 created the dole system of payments for unemployed workers in the United Kingdom.^[8] The dole system provided 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to over 11,000,000 workers—practically the entire civilian working population except domestic service, farmworkers, railway men, and civil servants.

Unemployment benefits were introduced in Germany in 1927, and in most European countries in the period after the Second World War; with the expansion of the welfare state. Unemployment insurance in the United States originated in Wisconsin in 1932.^[9] Through the Social Security Act of 1935, the Federal government of the United States effectively encouraged the individual states to adopt unemployment insurance plans.

Armenia's Unemployment Insurance (UI) scheme has been in force since 1991. In 2005, Armenia adopted the law on Employment of the Population and Social Protection in Case of Unemployment, which provided a legal framework to the Unemployment Insurance and active labour policies. Armenia's UI is a contributory program, which is obligatory for public and formal private sectors, as well as the self-employed. To be eligible for benefits, the claimant must be unemployed as a result of business reorganization, staff reduction, or the termination of a collective bargaining agreement. To be eligible, applicants must have contributed for at least 12 months prior to unemployment or be actively looking for work after a long period of unemployment. The UI is also available to first-time job seekers. Those who do not qualify for the monthly payment are nonetheless eligible for the UI scheme's capacity building programs. Those who qualify for the monthly unemployment benefit will get a payment of 18,000 AMD per month for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months.

The UI also includes a scheme to help employers hire people who are unemployed with at least 35 years of UI contributions but have not reached retirement age; unemployed for more than three years; returning from corrective or medical institutions; returning from mandatory military service; disabled; refugees; or are 16 years of age and newly eligible to work. Employers who hire these groups are eligible for a benefit of 50% of the minimum wage to supplement the employee's income. The UI also provides financial assistance and capacity-building programs for unemployed or disabled individuals who want to start their own businesses. Armenia also has a Paid Public Works program that provides jobseekers and the disabled with temporary public employment for three months.

In Australia, social security benefits, including unemployment benefits, are funded through the taxation system. There is no compulsory national unemployment insurance fund. Rather, benefits are funded in the annual Federal Budget by the National Treasury and are administrated and distributed throughout the nation by the government agency, Centrelink. Benefit rates are indexed to the Consumer Price Index and are adjusted twice a year according to inflation or deflation.

There are two types of payment available to those experiencing unemployment. The first, called Youth Allowance, is paid to young people aged 16–20 (or 15, if deemed to meet the criteria for being considered 'independent' by Centrelink). Youth Allowance is also paid to full-time students aged 16–24, and to full-time Australian Apprenticeship workers aged 16–24. People aged below 18 who have not completed their high school education, are usually required to be in full-time education, undertaking an apprenticeship or doing training to be eligible for Youth Allowance. For single people under 18 years of age living with a parent or parents, the basic rate is A$91.60 per week. For over-18- to 20-year-olds living at home this increases to A$110.15 per week. For those aged 18–20 not living at home the rate is A$167.35 per week. There are special rates for those with partners and/or children.

The second kind of payment is called 'JobSeeker Payment' (called Newstart until 20 June 2020) and is paid to unemployed people over the age of 21 and under the pension eligibility age. To receive a JobSeeker Payment, recipients must be unemployed, be prepared to enter into an Employment Pathway Plan (previously called an Activity Agreement) by which they agree to undertake certain activities to increase their opportunities for employment, be Australian Residents and satisfy the income test (which limits weekly income to A$32 per week before benefits begin to reduce, until one's income reaches A$397.42 per week at which point no unemployment benefits are paid) and the assets test (an eligible recipient can have assets of up to A$161,500 if he or she owns a home before the allowance begins to reduce and $278,500 if he or she does do not own a home). The rate of allowance as of 12 January 2010 for single people without children was A$228 per week, paid fortnightly. (This does not include supplemental payments such as Rent Assistance or Energy Supplement.^[12]) Different rates apply to people with partners and/or children.

Effectively, people have had to survive on $39 a day since 1994, and there have been calls to raise this by politicians and NGO groups.^[13] On 22 February 2021, the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, announced that the JobSeeker base rate would be increased by A$50 a fortnight from April 2021. It is also intended to increase the threshold amount recipients can earn before their payment starts to be reduced.^[14]

The system in Australia is designed to support recipients no matter how long they have been unemployed. In recent years the former Coalition government under John Howard has increased the requirements of the Activity Agreement, providing for controversial schemes such as Work for the Dole, which requires that people on benefits for six months or longer work voluntarily for a community organisation regardless of whether such work increases their skills or job prospects. Since the Labor government under Kevin Rudd was elected in 2008, the length of unemployment before one is required to fulfill the requirements of the Activity Agreement (renamed the Employment Pathway Plan) has increased from six to 12 months. There are other options available as alternatives to the Work for the Dole scheme, such as undertaking part-time work or study and training, the basic premise of the Employment Pathway Plan being to keep the welfare recipient active and involved in seeking full-time work.

For people renting their accommodation, unemployment benefits are supplemented by Rent Assistance, which, for single people as at 20 September 2021, begins to be paid when fortnightly rent is more than A$124.60. Rent Assistance is paid as a proportion of total rent paid (75 cents per dollar paid over A$124.60 up to the maximum). The maximum amount of rent assistance payable is A$139.60 per fortnight, and is paid when the total weekly rent exceeds A$310.73 per fortnight. Different rates apply to people with partners and/or children, or who are sharing accommodation.^[15]

Evolution of the number of EI beneficiaries in Canada by month since 1997

Evolution since 1972 of Employment Insurance (UI before 1996) contribution rate for employees as a % of insurable earnings (in red special rate applicable for Quebec since 2006). The colour bands represents successives governments:

  Liberal Party of Canada

  Progressive Conservative Party of Canada

  Conservative Party of Canada

In Canada, the system is known as "Employment Insurance" (EI, French: Prestations d’assurance-emploi). Formerly called "Unemployment Insurance", the name was changed in 1996. In 2024, Canadian workers paid premiums of 1.66%^[16] of insured earnings in return for benefits if they lose their jobs.

The Employment and Social Insurance Act was passed in 1935 during the Great Depression by the government of R. B. Bennett as an attempted Canadian unemployment insurance program. It was, however, ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada as unemployment was judged to be an insurance matter falling under provincial responsibility. After a constitutional amendment was agreed to by all of the provinces, a reference to "Unemployment Insurance" was added to the matters falling under federal authority under the Constitution Act, 1867, and the first Canadian system was adopted in 1940. Because of these problems Canada was the last major Western country to bring in an employment insurance system. It was extended dramatically by Pierre Trudeau in 1971 making it much easier to get. The system was sometimes called the 10/42, because one had to work for 10 weeks to get benefits for the other 42 weeks of the year. It was also in 1971 that the UI program was first opened up to maternity and sickness benefits, for 15 weeks in each case.

The generosity of the Canadian UI program was progressively reduced after the adoption of the 1971 UI Act. At the same time, the federal government gradually reduced its financial contribution, eliminating it entirely by 1990. The EI system was again cut by the Progressive Conservatives in 1990 and 1993, then by the Liberals in 1994 and 1996. Amendments made it harder to qualify by increasing the time needed to be worked, although seasonal claimants (who work long hours over short periods) turned out to gain from the replacement, in 1996, of weeks by hours to qualify. The ratio of beneficiaries to unemployed, after having stood at around 40% for many years, rose somewhat during the 2009 recession but then fell back again to the low 40s.^[17] Some unemployed persons are not covered for benefits (e.g. self-employed workers), while others may have exhausted their benefits, did not work long enough to qualify, or quit or were dismissed from their job. The length of time one could take EI has also been cut repeatedly. The 1994 and 1996 changes contributed to a sharp fall in Liberal support in the Atlantic provinces in the 1997 election.

In 2001, the federal government increased parental leave from 10 to 35 weeks, which was added to preexisting maternity benefits of 15 weeks. In 2004, it allowed workers to take EI for compassionate care leave while caring for a dying relative, although the strict conditions imposed make this a little used benefit. In 2006, the Province of Quebec opted out of the federal EI scheme in respect of maternity, parental and adoption benefits, in order to provide more generous benefits for all workers in that province, including self-employed workers. Total EI spending was $19.677 billion for 2011–2012 (figures in Canadian dollars).^[18]

Employers contribute 1.4 times the amount of employee premiums. Since 1990, there is no government contribution to this fund. The amount a person receives and how long they can stay on EI varies with their previous salary, how long they were working, and the unemployment rate in their area. The EI system is managed by Service Canada, a service delivery network reporting to the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada.

A bit over half of EI benefits are paid in Ontario and the Western provinces but EI is especially important in the Atlantic provinces, which have higher rates of unemployment. Many Atlantic workers are also employed in seasonal work such as fishing, forestry or tourism and go on EI over the winter when there is no work. There are special rules for fishermen making it easier for them to collect EI. EI also pays for maternity and parental leave, compassionate care leave, and illness coverage. The program also pays for retraining programs (EI Part II) through labour market agreements with the Canadian provinces.

A significant part of the federal fiscal surplus of the Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin years came from the EI system. Premiums were reduced much less than falling expenditures – producing, from 1994 onwards, EI surpluses of several billion dollars per year, which were added to general government revenue.^[19] The cumulative EI surplus stood at $57 billion at 31 March 2008,^[20] nearly four times the amount needed to cover the extra costs paid during a recession.^[21] This drew criticism from Opposition parties and from business and labour groups, and has remained a recurring issue of the public debate. The Conservative Party,^[22] chose not to recognize those EI surpluses after being elected in 2006. Instead, the Conservative government cancelled the EI surpluses entirely in 2010, and required EI contributors to make up the 2009, 2010 and 2011 annual deficits by increasing EI premiums. On 11 December 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected a court challenge launched against the federal government by two Quebec unions, who argued that EI funds had been misappropriated by the government.^[23]

The level of benefit is set between the minimum wage and the minimum living allowance by individual provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.^[24]

Each Member State of the European Union has its own system and, in general, a worker should claim unemployment benefits in the country where they last worked. For a person working in a country other than their country of residency (a cross-border worker), they will have to claim benefits in their country of residence.^[25]

Dos sistemas funcionan en paralelo, combinando un sistema de Gante y un nivel mínimo de apoyo proporcionado por Kela , una agencia del gobierno nacional. Las tasas de sindicalización son altas (70%), y la afiliación sindical conlleva la afiliación a un fondo de desempleo. Además, existen fondos de desempleo no sindicalizados. Por lo general, las prestaciones requieren 26 semanas de 18 horas semanales en promedio, y la prestación por desempleo es el 60% del salario y dura 500 días. ^{[ 26 ]} Cuando esto no está disponible, Kela puede pagar la prestación regular por desempleo o las prestaciones de subsidio al mercado laboral. La primera requiere un título universitario y dos años de trabajo a tiempo completo. La segunda requiere la participación en formación, educación u otro tipo de apoyo al empleo, que puede ser obligatorio bajo pena de perder la prestación, pero puede pagarse una vez que las prestaciones regulares se hayan agotado o no estén disponibles. ^{[ 27 ]} Aunque los fondos de desempleo gestionan los pagos, la mayor parte de la financiación proviene de impuestos y de las cotizaciones obligatorias al seguro de desempleo.

Independientemente de si las prestaciones las paga Kela o un fondo de desempleo, la persona desempleada recibe asistencia del Työ- ja elinkeinokeskus ( TE-keskus , o Centro de Trabajo y Sustento), un organismo gubernamental que ayuda a las personas a encontrar empleo y a los empleadores a encontrar trabajadores. Para ser considerado desempleado, el solicitante debe registrarse en el TE-keskus como tal. Si el solicitante no tiene titulación, el organismo puede exigirle que solicite plaza en una institución educativa.

Si la persona no reúne los requisitos para recibir ninguna prestación por desempleo, aún podría tener derecho a la ayuda para la vivienda ( asumistuki ) de Kela y a las prestaciones sociales municipales ( toimeentulotuki ). Estas no son prestaciones por desempleo y dependen de los ingresos familiares, pero en la práctica se han convertido en el ingreso básico de muchos desempleados de larga duración.

Francia utiliza un sistema cuasi Gante , bajo el cual las prestaciones por desempleo son distribuidas por una agencia independiente (UNEDIC) en la que los sindicatos y las organizaciones empresariales están representados por igual. ^{[ 28 ]} UNEDIC es responsable de 3 prestaciones: ARE, ACA y ASR El principal plan ARE requiere un mínimo de 122 días de afiliación en los 24 meses anteriores y otros requisitos antes de poder realizar cualquier solicitud. Los empleadores pagan una contribución adicional a la renta bruta de sus empleados, que junto con la contribución del empleado, financia el plan.

La prestación máxima por desempleo es (a marzo de 2009) el 57,4 % de 162 € al día (límite máximo de cotizaciones a la seguridad social en 2011), o 6900 € al mes. ^{[ 29 ]} Los solicitantes reciben el 57,4 % de su salario diario medio de los últimos 12 meses anteriores al desempleo, con un importe medio de 1111 € al mes. ^{[ 30 ]} En Francia, se pagan impuestos y otras cotizaciones sobre la nómina sobre las prestaciones por desempleo. En 2011, los solicitantes recibieron la prestación durante un promedio de 291 días.

Alemania tiene un sistema de prestaciones por desempleo de dos niveles. Su objetivo común es acabar con la dependencia total de las prestaciones por desempleo. Ambos programas ayudan a sus beneficiarios en distintos grados a través de

• un subsidio de manutención,
• ayuda para encontrar trabajo o formación, y
• Si es necesario, obtener capacitación financiada por el estado.

Las prestaciones por desempleo en Grecia se administran a través de OAED ( en griego : Οργανισμός Απασχόλησης Εργατικού Δυναμικού , Organización de Empleo de Mano de Obra) y están disponibles solo para trabajadores asalariados despedidos con pleno empleo y pagos de seguridad social durante los dos años anteriores. Los trabajadores autónomos no tienen derecho, ni tampoco aquellos con otras fuentes de ingresos. La prestación mensual está fijada en el "55% de 25 salarios mínimos diarios" y actualmente es de 360 ​​€ al mes, ^{[ 31 ] [ 32 ]} con un aumento del 10% por cada hijo menor de edad. Los beneficiarios tienen derecho a recibir la prestación durante un máximo de 12 meses; La duración exacta depende del número de ensema acumulados , es decir, cupones de pago de la seguridad social (es decir, días de trabajo) durante los 14 meses anteriores al despido; el número mínimo de dichos cupones, por debajo del cual no hay derecho a prestaciones, es de 125, acumulados en los primeros 12 de los 14 meses mencionados. Desde el 1 de enero de 2013, la elegibilidad se ha restringido aún más, ya que quien solicita prestaciones por desempleo por segunda vez o más no debe haber recibido más del equivalente a 450 días de dichas prestaciones durante los últimos cuatro años desde la última vez que comenzó a recibirlas; si se han recibido prestaciones por desempleo durante este período durante más de 450 días, no hay derecho a prestaciones, mientras que si se han recibido menos, solo se tiene derecho, como máximo, a los días restantes hasta alcanzar el máximo de 450 días. ^{[ 32 ]}

En cuanto al subsidio por desempleo, Grecia permite que quienes se encuentran desempleados y trabajan por cuenta propia reciban prestaciones si su último salario no ha superado una cantidad determinada; la tasa actual no debe exceder los 1467,35 €. Al recibir las prestaciones, la persona no puede estar percibiendo ingresos de una profesión por cuenta propia. Si los ingresos superan la cantidad fija, la autoridad tributaria debe emitir un certificado que acredite que la persona ha "interrumpido el ejercicio de la profesión", lo cual debe hacerse en un plazo de 15 días. ^{[ 33 ]} Las prestaciones por desempleo también se conceden a quienes han generado ingresos que no superan los 1467,35 € en su último salario percibido de una profesión liberal . Para recibir la prestación, la persona no debe estar percibiendo ingresos de su anterior profesión liberal. Asimismo, la OAED proporciona ayudas estacionales a los trabajadores cuyos empleos no pueden desempeñarse durante todo el año. ^{[ 34 ]}

Under the OAED, individuals who are benefiting from long-term unemployment must be within the ages of 20 to 66 years of age and have a family income that does not exceed €10,000 annually.^[33] An individual becomes eligible for long-term benefits if the regular unemployment subsidy is exhausted after 12 months. After the expiration of the 12-month period, an application towards long-term unemployment benefits must be submitted in the first 2 months. If an unemployed person seeks long term unemployment and has a child, the allowance is allowed to increase by €586.08 (per child). Long-term unemployment can only be granted if the individual can be found registered under the OAED unemployment registrar.^[33]

To receive unemployment benefits in Iceland, one must submit an application to the Directorate of Labour (Vinnumálastofnun) and meet a specific criteria set forth by the department.^[35] Icelandic employment rates have traditionally been higher than every other OECD country. In the most recent financial quarter, 85.8% of the Icelandic working-age population were employed, with only 2.8% of the population unemployed.^[36] When broken down by age group, Iceland's labour force is highly active, with 74.9% of the population between the ages of 15 and 24 years old and 89.4% of people between the ages of 25 and 55 years old active in the labour market.^[36] This low rate of unemployment is attributed to the adoption of the Ghent system, which has been adopted by the countries of Denmark, Finland and Sweden, and highly emphasizes trade and labour unions to provide unemployment benefits and protections to workers, which ultimately has led to higher union membership than other capitalist economies.^[37] The safety net that these unions provide also leads to more stable job retention and less reliance on part-time employment. Only 11.9% of the working population is dependent on temporary employment.^[36]

A diferencia de los estados puramente socialdemócratas de Europa , el modelo nórdico que Islandia adoptó toma prestados aspectos tanto de un estado socialdemócrata como de un estado de bienestar liberal . ^{[ 38 ]} Islandia no solo ve una alta participación del gobierno en la provisión de bienestar social y servicios como en el modelo socialdemócrata , sino que, como el modelo de bienestar liberal , también depende en gran medida del libre comercio y los mercados. ^{[ 38 ]} El país depende de un mercado capitalista abierto para el crecimiento económico, pero también adopta un sistema corporativista que permite que se produzca la negociación salarial entre la fuerza laboral y los empleadores para proteger a los trabajadores y garantizar que se garanticen disposiciones como los beneficios por desempleo . ^{[ 39 ]} Actualmente, la legislación que garantiza estos beneficios es la Ley de Sindicatos y Conflictos Industriales, que fue adoptada en 1938 y que ha sido enmendada cinco veces desde su creación para adaptarse al auge de la globalización . En la Sección 1, los Artículos 1 a 13 otorgan a los sindicatos el derecho a organizarse y negociar con los empleadores salarios justos para sus miembros, así como representación para sus miembros en caso de conflictos laborales. ^{[ 40 ]} Estos derechos para los sindicatos organizados, establecidos por el Ministerio de Bienestar, no solo brindan a la fuerza laboral del país una representación justa e igualitaria dentro de sus respectivas industrias, sino que también permiten que estas organizaciones mantengan una relación activa con el gobierno islandés para discutir asuntos económicos, promover la igualdad laboral y social, y garantizar beneficios para los trabajadores desempleados, ya que estos sindicatos están altamente centralizados y no tienen afiliación política . ^{[ 40 ]}

Unemployment benefits in Iceland (atvinnuleysisbætur) can involve up to 100% reimbursement per month for wage earners for a maximum of 30 months.^[41] However, these rates of reimbursement are determined by previous status of employment, such as whether an individual is a wage-earner or is self-employed, as well as meeting certain mandates such as being a current resident of Iceland, be actively searching for employment, and retaining a 25% position for three months within the past 12 months before filing for unemployment.^[41] Unemployed workers can be compensated through either basic or income-linked benefits. Basic unemployment benefits can cover both wage-earning and self-employing individuals for the first half-month (10 days) after they lose their job, whereas income-linked benefits can cover wage-earning and self-employing individuals for up to three months based on a set salary index and length of employment.^[35] However, those who are unemployed must report to the Directorate of Labour once a month to reaffirm their status of unemployment and that they are actively searching for employment or unemployment benefits could be revoked.^[42] Under the Icelandic Labour Law, employees must be given a notice period of termination that can range from 12 days to six months and is determined by the length of previous employment under the same employer.^[43]

People aged 18 and over and who are unemployed in Ireland can apply for either the Jobseeker's Allowance (Liúntas do Lucht Cuardaigh Fostaíochta) or the Jobseeker's Benefit (Sochar do Lucht Cuardaigh Fostaíochta). Both are paid by the Department of Social Protection and are nicknamed "the dole".

Unemployment benefit in Ireland can be claimed indefinitely for as long as the individual remains unemployed. The standard payment is €203 per week for those aged 26 and over. For those aged 18 to 24 the rate is €112.70 per week. For those aged 25 the weekly rate is €157.80. Payments can be increased if the unemployed has dependents. For each adult dependent, another €134.70 is added, €112.70 if the recipient (as opposed to the dependent) is aged 18 to 24, and for each child dependent €34 or €37 is added, depending on the child's age.

Existen más beneficios disponibles para las personas desempleadas, generalmente de forma especial o específica. Estos beneficios incluyen el Subsidio de Ayuda para la Vivienda y el Subsidio para Combustible , entre otros. Las personas con bajos ingresos (que incluyen a quienes reciben el subsidio de desempleo) tienen derecho a una Tarjeta Médica (aunque esta debe solicitarse por separado al Servicio Ejecutivo de Salud ) que proporciona atención médica gratuita, atención oftalmológica, atención dental limitada, atención auditiva y medicamentos recetados subvencionados con un cargo de 2,00 € por artículo hasta una contribución mensual máxima de 25 € por hogar (a diferencia de los servicios subvencionados como los que reciben quienes no tienen la Tarjeta Médica).

Para optar al subsidio por desempleo, los solicitantes deben cumplir el requisito de residencia habitual: deben haber residido legalmente en Irlanda (o en la zona de libre circulación ) durante dos años o tener otro motivo justificado (como haber vivido en el extranjero y regresar a Irlanda tras quedar desempleados o haber sido deportados). Este requisito no se aplica a la prestación por desempleo (que se basa en las cotizaciones a la Seguridad Social).

Aquí encontrará más información sobre cada beneficio:

• Subsidio por desempleo. Archivado el 3 de octubre de 2010 en Wayback Machine.
• Subsidio por desempleo archivado el 5 de mayo de 2010 en Wayback Machine.

India cuenta con un sistema de seguro social para prestaciones por desempleo muy similar al de sus homólogos europeos. El subsidio por desempleo se otorga a los trabajadores indios que hayan cotizado al Seguro Estatal de Empleados durante al menos tres años. Este subsidio se concede por un máximo de un año y equivale al 50 % del salario diario promedio o a 35 000 rupias mensuales, lo que sea menor.

In Israel, unemployment benefits are paid by Bituah Leumi (National Insurance Institute), to which workers must pay contributions. Eligible workers must immediately register with the Employment Service Bureau upon losing their jobs or jeopardize their eligibility, and the unemployment period is considered to start upon registration with the Employment Service Bureau. To be eligible for unemployment benefits, a person must be at least 20 years old, have been previously employed, and have completed a "qualifying period" of work for which unemployment insurance contributions were paid which varies between 300 and 360 days. Employees who were involuntarily terminated from their jobs or who terminated their own employment and can provide evidence of having done so for a justified reason are eligible for immediately receiving unemployment benefits, while those who are deemed to have terminated their employment of their own volition with no justified reason will only begin receiving unemployment benefits 90 days from the start of their unemployment period.^{[44][45][46][47]}

Unemployment benefits are paid daily, with the amount calculated based on the employee's previous income over the past six months, but not exceeding the daily average wage for the first 125 days of payment and two-thirds of the daily average wage from the 126th day onwards. During the unemployment period, the Employment Service Bureau assists in helping locate suitable work and job training, and regularly reporting to the Employment Service Bureau is a condition for continuing to receive unemployment benefits. A person who was offered suitable work or training by the Employment Service Bureau but refused will only receive unemployment benefits 90 days after the date of the refusal, and 30 days' worth of unemployment benefits will be deducted for each subsequent refusal.^[44][45][46]

Members of kibbutzim and moshavim are typically not covered by the national unemployment system and are covered by the community's own social welfare system, unless they are employed outside of their community or directly by the community.

Employees deemed to have been terminated from their jobs without legitimate cause are also legally entitled to severance pay from their employers, equivalent of one month's pay for each year that the unemployed individual had worked for his or her previous employer.^[48]

Los sindicatos también participan en el sistema de desempleo en Israel. Un ejemplo es la Histadrut, conocida comúnmente como la Organización General de Trabajadores de Israel. Uno de los principales objetivos de la Histadrut es crear programas de asistencia laboral para ayudar a los trabajadores desempleados a reinsertarse en el mercado laboral. ^{[ 49 ]} El Dr. Roby Nathanson, doctor en economía por la Universidad de Colonia, considera que estos programas de reinserción laboral tienen éxito debido a la baja tasa de desempleo en Israel. ^{[ 50 ]} La tasa de desempleo en Israel en 2009 era del 9,5 % y desde entonces ha descendido a alrededor del 4 % en 2018. ^{[ 51 ]}

Además, existen prestaciones por desempleo para los nuevos inmigrantes que aún no han encontrado trabajo o que perciben un salario inferior al mínimo. Tienen derecho a recibir estas prestaciones durante los primeros 12 meses posteriores a su inmigración a Israel. También tienen derecho a la ayuda de Havtachat Hachnasa, un subsidio económico financiado por el Seguro Nacional. ^{[ 52 ]}

Las prestaciones por desempleo en Italia consisten principalmente en transferencias monetarias basadas en cotizaciones ( Assicurazione Sociale per l'Impiego, ASPI ), hasta el 75% del salario anterior durante un máximo de dieciséis meses. Otras medidas son:

• Fondo de Indemnización por Despidos ( Cassa integrazione guadagni , o CIG): prestaciones económicas que se proporcionan como amortiguador a los trabajadores que están suspendidos o que trabajan a tiempo reducido debido a dificultades temporales de sus fábricas, con el objetivo de ayudar a las fábricas con dificultades financieras, aliviándolas de los costes de la mano de obra no utilizada.
• Contratos de Solidaridad : en los mismos casos en que se otorgan prestaciones del CIG, las empresas pueden suscribir contratos con jornada reducida para evitar el despido de trabajadores por redundancia. El Estado les abonará a estos trabajadores el 60% de la parte del salario que hayan perdido.
• Subsidios de movilidad ( Indennità di mobilità ): si el Fondo de Indemnización por Despido no permite a la empresa recuperar una buena situación financiera, los trabajadores pueden tener derecho a subsidios de movilidad. Otras empresas reciben incentivos por contratarlos. Esta medida se suprimió en 2012 y dejará de estar vigente en 2017.
• Renta ciudadana ( reddito di cittadinanza ): es un sistema de bienestar social creado en Italia en enero de 2019. Aunque su nombre recuerda al de una renta básica universal , esta prestación es en realidad una forma de renta mínima garantizada, condicionada y no individual .

In the Italian unemployment insurance system all the measures are income-related, and they have an average decommodification level. The basis for entitlement is always employment, with more specific conditions for each case, and the provider is quite always the state. An interesting feature worthy to be discussed is that the Italian system takes in consideration also the economic situation of the employers, and aims as well at relieving them from the costs of crisis.

Unemployment benefits in Japan are called "unemployment insurance" and are closer to the US or Canadian "user pays" system than the taxpayer funded systems in place in countries such as Britain, New Zealand or Australia. It is paid for by contributions by both the employer and employee.^[53]

On leaving a job, employees are supposed to be given a "Rishoku-hyo" document showing their ID number (the same number is supposed to be used by later employers), employment periods, and pay (which contributions are linked to). The reason for leaving is also documented separately. These items affect eligibility, timing, and amount of benefits.^[54] The length of time that unemployed workers can receive benefits depends on the age of the employee, and how long they have been employed and paying in.^[55]

It is supposed to be compulsory for most full-time employees.^[56] If they have been enrolled for at least 6 months and are fired or made redundant, leave the company at the end of their contract, or their contract is non-renewed, the now-unemployed worker will receive unemployment insurance. If a worker quit of their own accord they may have to wait between one and three months before receiving any payment.

Mexico lacks a national unemployment insurance system, but it does have five programs to assist the unemployed:

• Mexico City Unemployment Benefit Scheme – The only unemployment insurance system based on worker contributions exists in Mexico City. Unemployed residents of Mexico City who are at least 18 years of age, have worked for at least six months, have no income, and are actively seeking work are eligible for unemployment benefits for up to six months, which are composed of payments of 30 days' worth of minimum wage per month.^[57]
• Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) – Esta institución asegura a los trabajadores del sector formal, brindándoles pensiones y seguro de salud. Los trabajadores asegurados por el IMSS que se encuentran desempleados pueden retirar hasta un máximo de 30 días de ahorros para la pensión cada cinco años. ^{[ 57 ]} Sin embargo, esto no cubre a la mayoría de los trabajadores, ya que el 58% de la fuerza laboral se encuentra en el sector informal.
• Servicio Nacional de Empleo: esta agencia, que cuenta con 165 oficinas en todo el país, ofrece apoyo financiero para aprender nuevas habilidades a personas de 16 años o más que se encuentran desempleadas o subempleadas, y asistencia para encontrar nuevos empleos mediante información sobre vacantes y ferias de empleo. ^{[ 57 ]}
• Programa de Empleo Temporal: Este programa está diseñado para ayudar a las personas desempleadas que viven en zonas rurales con altas tasas de desempleo, en cualquier zona que atraviese una crisis financiera o en una zona afectada por un desastre natural u otro tipo de emergencia. El programa financia proyectos para impulsar el empleo mediante la contratación de trabajadores locales mayores de 16 años en puestos como la construcción de infraestructuras, la promoción del desarrollo y la conservación del medio ambiente y los sitios del patrimonio cultural. Reciben un salario equivalente al 99 % del salario mínimo local durante un máximo de 132 días al año. ^{[ 57 ]}
• Programa de Opciones para la Generación de Ingresos: Las personas que viven en situación de pobreza en un área de hasta un máximo de 15.000 habitantes pueden optar a financiación para proyectos que les generen ingresos. ^{[ 57 ]}

Las prestaciones por desempleo en los Países Bajos se introdujeron en 1949. Existen sistemas separados para los Países Bajos continentales y para los Países Bajos caribeños .

En los Países Bajos continentales, el sistema establece que, según la Ley de Desempleo (Werkloosheidswet, por sus siglas en inglés), los empleadores son responsables del pago de las cotizaciones, que se deducen del salario de los empleados. En 2012, la cotización fue del 4,55 % del salario bruto, con un límite máximo de 4172 € mensuales. Los primeros 1435,75 € del salario bruto de un empleado están exentos de esta cotización.

Las prestaciones se abonan durante un periodo máximo de 24 meses y los beneficiarios reciben el 75 % de su último salario durante los dos primeros meses y el 70 % a partir de entonces, con una prestación máxima de 3128 €, dependiendo de la antigüedad laboral previa del beneficiario. Los trabajadores mayores de 50 años que lleven más de dos meses desempleados tienen derecho a una prestación especial denominada IOAW, si no perciben la prestación de desempleo ordinaria (WW).

In New Zealand, Jobseeker Support, previously known as the Unemployment Benefit and also known as "the dole" provides income support for people who are looking for work or training for work. It is one of a number of benefits administered by Work and Income, a service of the Ministry of Social Development.

To get this benefit, a person must meet the conditions and obligations specified in section 88A to 123D Social Security Act 1964. These conditions and obligations cover things such as age, residency status, and availability to work.^[58]

The amount that is paid depends on things such as the person's age, income, marital status and whether they have children. It is adjusted annually on 1 April and in response to changes in legislature. Some examples of the maximum after tax weekly rate at 1 April 2019 are:

• NZ$200.80 For a single person aged 20–24 years without children
• NZ$210.13 for a single person 25 years or over
• NZ$325.98 for a sole parent
• NZ$350.20 for a married, de facto or civil union couple with or without children (NZ$167.83 each).^[59]
• Plus winter payments of extra NZ$20 a week

More information about this benefit and the amounts paid are on the Work and Income website.^[60]

External links

• Work and Income website
• Social Security Act 1964

In the Philippines, workers in the private sector who involuntarily became unemployed, including housemaids and Overseas Filipino Workers, are entitled to benefits through the Social Security Act of 2018. Unemployment benefits is sourced from the country's Social Security System (SSS). Under the 2018 legislation, the benefits are dispensed through a one-time payment to equal to 50 percent of the claimant's monthly salary for a maximum of two months. Those who were terminated due to certain reasons such as grave misconduct, gross negligence, and commission of a crime are ineligible to avail unemployment benefits.^[61]

For government workers, unemployment benefits are sourced from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Payments are equal to 50 percent of the claimant's average monthly compensation and are dispensed monthly for two to six months, depending on the claimant's length of service.^[62]

In Poland, the system is designed to prevent people from living off unemployment benefits long term, thus forcing them to work or rely on non-state means of support (family, charities). In order to claim any state unemployment support, an adult (18+) claimant has to prove at least one year of continuous, full employment (that is, minimum 40 hours a week/160 hours a month) in the last 18 months prior to registering with the Unemployment Agency. If approved, as of 2019, one is granted 848 zł (equivalent to US$224.25 in April 2019) before taxes on a month-to-month basis for the first three months, then the amount is automatically lowered to 666 zł (US$176.20 in April 2019) before taxes for the remaining 3–9 months. Therefore, if approved, one can claim unemployment benefits only to the maximum of 12 continuous months. However, during that period, one has to cooperate with the Unemployment Bureau in finding an employment under the strict guidelines of losing the unemployed status, and thus the benefits. In comparison to the unemployment benefits paid by the state, as of January 2019, the minimum monthly pay is 2250,00^[63] zł (US$595.51 in April 2019) before taxes.

The least possible Unemployment Allowance is 1500 roubles per month for an unemployed person (appr. US$15,15) and may be paid during 3–6 months. Any person who hasn't worked during the last 12 months, may be granted such minimal allowance for a 3-months period yearly.^[64]

The Spanish unemployment benefits system is part of the Social security system of Spain. Benefits are managed by the State Public Employment Agency (SEPE). The basis for entitlement is having contributed for a minimum period during the time preceding unemployment, with further conditions that may be applicable. The system comprises contributory benefits and non-contributory benefits.

Contributory benefits are payable to those unemployed persons with a minimum of 12 months' contributions over a period of six years preceding unemployment. The benefit is payable for 1/3 of the contribution period. The benefit amount is 70% of the legal reference salary plus additional amounts for persons with dependants. The benefit reduces to 60% of the reference salary after six months. The minimum benefit is €497 per month and the maximum is €1087.20 per month for a single person.^[65] The non-contributory allowance is available to those persons who are no longer entitled to the contributory pension and who do not have income above 75% of the national minimum wage.

Suecia utiliza el sistema de Gante , según el cual una proporción significativa de las prestaciones por desempleo se distribuye a través de los fondos de desempleo sindicales . Las prestaciones por desempleo se dividen en un régimen voluntario con compensación vinculada a los ingresos hasta cierto límite y un régimen integral que proporciona un nivel inferior de apoyo básico. El régimen voluntario exige un mínimo de 12 meses de afiliación y 6 meses de empleo durante ese período antes de poder solicitar cualquier prestación. Los empleadores pagan una cuota adicional sobre la renta bruta de sus empleados, que, junto con las cuotas de afiliación, financia el régimen (véase Fondos de desempleo en Suecia ).

La prestación máxima por desempleo es (a partir de julio de 2016) de 980 SEK al día. Durante los primeros 200 días, el desempleado recibirá el 80 % de sus ingresos habituales de los últimos 12 meses. Del día 201 al 300, esta cantidad se reduce al 70 %, y del día 301 al 450, el seguro cubre el 65 % de los ingresos habituales (solo disponible para padres de hijos menores de 18 años). En Suecia, las prestaciones por desempleo están sujetas a impuestos, por lo que el desempleado recibirá un máximo de aproximadamente 10 000 SEK al mes durante los primeros 100 días (dependiendo del tipo impositivo municipal ). En otras divisas, a partir de junio de 2017, esto supone un máximo de aproximadamente 900 £, 1150 US$ o 1000 € al mes después de impuestos. También existe un seguro privado, principalmente a través de organizaciones profesionales, para proporcionar una compensación vinculada a los ingresos que, de otro modo, superaría el límite del sistema. El sistema integral se financia con impuestos.

Arabia Saudita es un estado de bienestar económico con atención médica gratuita ^{[ 66 ]} y prestaciones por desempleo. ^{[ 67 ]} Sin embargo, el país no depende de los impuestos, sino principalmente de los ingresos petroleros para mantener los servicios sociales y económicos para su población.

Pago: 2000 SAR (534 USD) durante 12 meses para una persona desempleada de entre 18 y 35 años.

Enlaces externos

• Servicios Sociales de Arabia Saudita

Por ley, los trabajadores empleados legalmente, independientemente de su nacionalidad, tienen derecho a prestaciones por desempleo siempre que tengan al menos 18 años, los empleados contribuyan con el 1% a los fondos de desempleo y los empleadores con el 2%, y los trabajadores tengan derecho a recibir prestaciones tras 600 días de cotización en los 3 años anteriores de empleo. El pago de la prestación es del 50% del salario diario promedio de los últimos 4 meses y no puede ser superior al salario mínimo (por sector). Las prestaciones pueden pagarse durante un máximo de 1080 días, dependiendo del número de cotizaciones. Algunos se muestran escépticos sobre el buen funcionamiento del sistema en Turquía ^{[ 68 ].}

En el Reino Unido, la prestación por desempleo se paga como subsidio de búsqueda de empleo o (para la mayoría de las personas) como parte del crédito universal . ^{[ 69 ] [ 70 ]}

En Estados Unidos, existen 50 programas estatales de seguro de desempleo, además de uno en el Distrito de Columbia , Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de Estados Unidos . Si bien las políticas varían según el estado, los beneficios por desempleo generalmente pagan a los trabajadores elegibles hasta US$1,015 en Massachusetts y un mínimo de US$235 por semana como máximo en Mississippi . Los requisitos de elegibilidad para el seguro de desempleo varían según el estado, pero en general, los empleados que no son despedidos por mala conducta ("terminados con causa justificada") son elegibles para los beneficios por desempleo, mientras que aquellos que renuncian o son despedidos por mala conducta (esto a veces puede incluir mala conducta cometida fuera del lugar de trabajo, como una publicación problemática en redes sociales o la comisión de un delito) no lo son. ^{[ 73 ] [ 74 ]} Aunque la tasa de participación varía según el estado desde menos del 10% hasta más del 60%, a nivel nacional solo el 29% de los estadounidenses desempleados (aquellos que buscan trabajo) recibieron beneficios por desempleo. ^{[ 75 ]}

To Keynesians, unemployment insurance acts as an automatic stabilizer.^[76] Benefits automatically increase when unemployment is high and fall when unemployment is low, smoothing the business cycle; however, others claim that the taxation necessary to support this system serves to decrease employment.

Adverse selection refers to the fact that "workers who have the highest probability of becoming unemployed have the highest demand for unemployment insurance."^[77] Adverse selection causes profit maximizing private insurance agencies to set high premiums for the insurance because there is a high likelihood they will have to make payments to the policyholder. High premiums work to exclude many individuals who otherwise might purchase the insurance. "A compulsory government program avoids the adverse selection problem. Hence, government provision of UI has the potential to increase efficiency. However, government provision does not eliminate moral hazard."^[77]