European Commission considers Employment Incubator as good example of employability policies
The European Commission has decided to include the Employment Incubator project in the Employment Strategy Report, considering this measure as a good example of social inclusion policies.
Upon receiving the news, the Vice-President of the Government conveyed his satisfaction for the recognition of "a social measure implemented under employment policies that is intended to safeguard the role of women and their professional achievement."
Sérgio Ávila recalled that "the Employment Incubator is a measure promoted by the Azorean Government and consists in the replacement of workers on maternity leave by unemployed workers receiving unemployment benefits." The Regional Employment Fund will be responsible for reimbursing the amount corresponding to the difference between the unemployment benefit and the worker's salary.
The Vice-President stressed that this programme has allowed the replacement of 1,076 workers since 2008; this figure does not include the workers placed in the local and regional administration. The government official added that there is still another reason to be satisfied with the programme's success.
According to him, this reason concerns the fact that 223 of these female workers were successfully integrated in the labour market, which represents the achievement of the project's ultimate goal: the full the integration of the women who took part in this programme.
"It is gratifying to see that a measure created to address a temporary situation has eventually contributed to the reduction of unemployment among female workers. Companies have been acknowledging the importance of these workers for their business activity and now the European Commission recognises the measure, considering it as an example of active employment policies," stated Sérgio Ávila.
The Employment Incubator project also aims to eliminate the stigma associated with the hiring of female workers and motherhood in working life, tackling the idea that they are a burden to employers.
The duration of the programme is limited to the period of maternity leave, plus two months at no cost to the employer. This measure is eligible for private companies, central, regional and local administrations, private social solidarity institutions as well as for non-profit association and cooperatives.