Background information

Public employment agencies are providers of pre-redundancy counselling services. The unemployment benefit budget provides financial support.

Law no. 76/2002 on unemployment regulates the provision of pre-redundancy counselling services. Articles 51 and 52 of Law 76/2002 set the eligibility criteria. According to existing legislation, the employer has the obligation to inform the local employment service at least 30 days before notifying workers that they are to be made redundant. This provides an opportunity to avoid or minimise the effects of the dismissals at a local level.

The same law sets the Consultancy and assistance for grassroot entrepreneurial or business initiatives .

Content of measure

This pre-redundancy counselling service involves the following:

• Information on legal provisions concerning the protection of the unemployed
• Information on the provision of employment and training services
• Placement on locally existing job vacancies
• Available training on job seeking
• Professional reorientation within the redundant company or through short-term training
• Canvass employees' opinion and advising them on measures to combat unemployment.

This instrument is available to employees who are to be made redundant, and to every person who is at risk of losing their job and requests this service. Although the law does not explicitly stipulate which category of employees is 'at risk of becoming unemployed', it is considered in principle that they are employees who received notice or are targeted for future restructuring.

The employees have free access to public employment services before the dismissal takes place.

Use of measure

In 2023, 2,749 persons were beneficiaries of pre-redundancy services. 1,727 beneficiaries completed questionnaires to identify the most appropriate measures for them. The options for the future of 24 persons assisted were employment through mediation (511 persons), enrolment in qualification/ retraining courses (79 persons) and self-employment (10 persons). 2,028 people benefiting from these services were trained in job search techniques, 355 persons were referred to different employment incentive measures and 1,749 persons were referred to job vacancies for job placement.

In 2022, 4,024 persons received pre-redundancy services. As part of pre-redundancy services 1,226 beneficiaries completed questionnaires to identify the most appropriate measures to direct them. The future options of the assisted persons concerned employment through mediation (951 persons), enrolment in qualification/ retraining courses (632 persons) and self-employment (6 persons). 1,742 people benefiting from these services were trained in job search techniques, 473 persons were referred to various employment stimulation services and 1,667 persons were referred to job vacancies for job placement.

According to the National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2021, 3,162 people benefited from pre-redundancy services. Of these, 2,943 persons were trained on how to look for a job, 59 were directed to various measures to stimulate employment, and 2,135 were oriented to job vacancies.

According to the National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2020, 1,989 people benefited from pre-redundancy services. Of these, 1,661 persons were trained on how to look for a job, 522 were directed to various measures to stimulate employment, and 1,115 were oriented to job vacancies.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Employees in standard employment	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Public employment service	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Unknown

Views and reactions

Unknown

Sources

• 31 December 2015: uarterly statistical bulletin on labour and social protection no. 4/2015 (www.mmuncii.ro)
• 31 January 2016: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2015 (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 January 2017: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2016 (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 January 2018: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2017 (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 January 2019: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2018 (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 December 2019: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2019 (ANOFM, Raport de activitate pentru anul 2019) (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 December 2020: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2020 (ANOFM, Raport de activitate pentru anul 2020) (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 December 2021: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2021 (ANOFM, Raport de activitate pentru anul 2021) (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 December 2022: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2022 (ANOFM, Raport de activitate pentru anul 2022) (www.anofm.ro)
• 31 December 2023: The National Agency for Employment Activity Report for 2023 (ANOFM, Raport de activitate pentru anul 2023) (www.anofm.ro)