Inactive Program

Aktion 20,000

A direct employment program intended to reduce long term unemployment among Austrians over 50

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Country

Austria

Dates of operation

2017 - 2019

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Summary

The Aktion 20,000 program was a response to the long term unemployment of Austrians 50 years and older (in 2016, some 50,000 people were identified in this category) (1). The goal was to directly create 20,000 jobs for this group, improve quality of life, and interrupt the cycle of long-term unemployment. Elements of the program were continued after 2019 on a smaller scale to provide employment for long-term unemployed over 50 (2).

Defining principles

Employment is an important dimension of social inclusion. Long term unemployment is especially deleterious for older people.

Rationale

Created in response to an unemployment crisis among citizens over 50 (3).

Number of participants

3,824 jobs created by the end of the program (4).

Criteria for participation

Long term unemployed over 50 years old.

Person-days of employment

Average of 472 days per participant (5).

Pay and benefits

EUR 27,000 in costs including wages and materials per job per year (6).

Financing

EUR 170 million 2018-2019 (7). Subsidized employment – 100% for two years. Shifting “passive funds” from unemployment payments to employment subsidies and an additional EUR 200 million (8).

Implementation

Austria’s Public Employment Service (AMS) and existing government instruments in cooperation with municipalities (9).

Types of work

Municipal, non-profit, and social enterprise employment.

Notable features

Participants were unemployed for an average of almost three years before the program. 40% of participants had health related issues that made it difficult to find work and more than 90% did not receive need-based income before the Aktion 20,000 program (10).

Challenges

Challenges: The program was not able to generate employment opportunities on the scale it was hoped to (11).

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Citations

  1. Work Plus Social Enterprise Database. Aktion 20,000. https://arbeitplus.at/lexikon/aktion-20000/
  2. Work Plus Social Enterprise Database. Aktion 20,000.
  3. Work Plus Social Enterprise Database. Aktion 20,000.
  4. Work Plus Social Enterprise Database. Aktion 20,000.
  5. Hausegger, T., Krüse, T. (2019). Evaluation of the 20,000 campaign. Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour. https://ams-forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/Evaluation-Aktion-20.000_Endbericht_prospect.pdf
  6. Work Plus Social Enterprise Database. Aktion 20,000.
  7. Fiskalrat. (2019). Austria’s 2017 to 2019 Fiscal Stance and Key Results of the Austrian Fiscal Advisory Council’s 2018 Report on Public Finances. https://www.fiskalrat.at/dam/jcr:4f01930c-76fd-4d27-b9b6-b5e02b56654e/Main%20Results_Bericht%202018.pdf
  8. Hausegger, T., Krüse, T. (2019). Evaluation of the 20,000 campaign. Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour.
  9. Hausegger, T., Krüse, T. (2019). Evaluation of the 20,000 campaign. Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour.
  10. Hausegger, T., Krüse, T. (2019). Evaluation of the 20,000 campaign. Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour.
  11. Work Plus Social Enterprise Database. Aktion 20,000.