In total, 585,000 unemployed people, equivalent to 20.5% of the unemployed, have not worked for more than four years, according to data published this Wednesday by Asempleo, which warns that the group of very long-term unemployed people is not only affected economically by having a job, but their situation also has an impact on their psychological and social well-being.
“After four years of absence from the job market, the worker’s skills have probably become obsolete“especially in sectors where technology and methodologies are evolving rapidly. The lack of access to continuous training and the absence of recent experience make it difficult to adapt to new technologies or acquire more current professional skills and competencies, which significantly reduces their chances of getting a job,” explained Asempleo president Andreu Cruañas.
At the European level, Spain is at the forefront, along with Italy, of very long-term unemployment, the two countries being the only ones who still exceed half a million unemployed in this situation.
The profile of the very long-term unemployed in Spain corresponds to that of a woman over 45 years old, “which makes her more vulnerable to age discrimination in non-professional selection processes” and places her much further away from digitalization than a younger profile.
“In order to act effectively against gender inequality, it is essential to implement a set of coordinated measures, ranging from diagnosis and orientation to active support for these people, including training actions aimed at the rapid reintegration of these women into the labour market, who are at greater risk of exclusion from work,” says Asempleo.
To reduce the number of unemployed people who have not found a job for more than four years, Cruañas considers it essential implement continuing education programs focused on technological and digital skills and emerging sectors; and offer free or subsidized training with flexible terms that adapt to the situation of the unemployed.
Similarly, it recommends granting tax incentives and subsidies to companies that hire very long-term unemployed people, particularly if they offer on-the-job training, or facilitating hiring via Temporary Work Companies, part-time or by project to allow gradual reintegration into the job market.
“This can increase the number of job opportunities for those who have been out of the labour market for a long time. We must bear in mind that people who have difficulty re-entering the labour market, especially those over 52, have to deal with “In addition, there is great uncertainty about their future retirement, which has a direct impact on the sustainability of the pension system,” he stresses.
In this sense, Asempleo considers that a coordinated shock plan between the government, the private sector and society as a whole to provide very long-term unemployed people with the tools and support needed to reintegrate the labour market and improve their quality of life.
