Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Overview of measures by target group – category: Workers
Eurofound has identified 130 measures for this target group. Most of these measures fall into the category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery (49%).
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
|
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27 November 2020 |
Temporary interventions in labour law
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 October 2020 |
Care jobs for temporary unemployed
Belgium, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 |
Regional labour market information
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Career consultations
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
20 May 2022 Updated |
Identifying Finnish companies to employ refugees
Finland, Other initiatives or policies |
20 May 2020 Updated |
Creating incentives for unemployed to work in horticulture and other essential services and flexibilisation of successive fixed-term contracts
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Removal of income ceiling for student aid to facilitate work in essential services
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 April 2020 |
Temporary and exceptional support to the emergency reinforcement of public and solidary health and social care services
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
|
17 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary amendment to the regulation of layoffs
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Employment protection and retention |
|
29 June 2020 Updated |
Special support schemes for workers and businesses
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Wage guarantee in case of employer insolvency
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Local Development Agency - Barcelona Activa
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Partial unemployment benefit
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 April 2020 Updated |
Measures to speed up the processing and payment of unemployment benefits
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Unemployment benefit guarantee in case of temporary collective dismissal or reduced working time
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Reorientation of business activities |
|
23 June 2022 Updated |
Job security councils
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Reconversion cells
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Flexpool
Netherlands, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
|
13 November 2020 |
Unemployment benefit and extension of protection to the cultural sector
Spain, Other initiatives or policies |
07 November 2022 |
Financial aid for unemployed persons with disabilities
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
28 October 2020 Updated |
Extension of unemployment benefits to self-employed
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 October 2021 |
Special support scheme for the unemployed in the hotel sector
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
29 July 2021 |
Discipline of the unemployment benefit
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 July 2020 |
Suspension of conditionality requirements for income support measures
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Lump-sum payments for unemployed and children
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 July 2020 Updated |
Temporary job-search benefit for unemployed who would otherwise not be eligible to receive benefits
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 July 2020 Updated |
Exceptional unemployment benefits
Slovenia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Transition allowance
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Restructuring card
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 May 2020 Updated |
Suspension of the degressivity of unemployment benefits during the crisis
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
25 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment introduced
Ireland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
25 April 2020 Updated |
New compensation scheme for laid off apprentices
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary prolongation of the payment period during layoff
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of expired or expiring unemployment benefit payments
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Financial support for suspended and dismissed employees
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Three months' suspension of eligibility criteria for long-term unemployment benefit holders
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
15 April 2020 Updated |
Increased access to unemployment benefits and sickness benefits
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Online application for unemployment benefit and top-up of emergency assistance
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Stricter rules on leave for family reasons in connection with the Coronavirus epidemic
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Temporary reinforcement of unemployment insurance
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Temporarily shortened working requirement for unemployment benefit eligibility
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
Cancellation of the unemployment allowance deductible period in the case of temporary layoff or dismissal
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
State-funded unemployment security during the waiting period
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 |
Extension of unemployment benefit entitlements for jobseekers
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19: Unemployed can take seasonal work in agriculture without loss of benefits
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2021 |
Further extension of the unemployment benefit period
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2020 Updated |
Extraordinary extension of unemployment benefit and social benefit
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of the support period for unemployment benefit
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
04 April 2020 Updated |
Additional unemployed benefit
Malta, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
31 March 2020 Updated |
Extension of protection for unemployment benefits
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 January 2021 Updated |
Unemployment benefit for recent graduates
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Measures to prevent social hardship |
|
01 September 2020 |
Water and energy premium in case of temporary unemployment
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
14 May 2020 |
Regional measures to prevent social hardship
Belgium, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 May 2020 |
Automatic extension of unemployment benefits
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 April 2021 |
Assistance benefit for unemployed with expired unemployment benefit period
Latvia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
Governmental GBP 500 million fund for council tax relief for people in need
United Kingdom, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 April 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 family hardship fund and family crisis fund
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 April 2020 |
Mortgage debt moratorium
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of meal/eco/gift/sport/culture cheques
Belgium, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
07 February 2021 |
“Alliance against COVID”: Joint action by the social partners GSEE and GSEVEE and the radio station Alpha989
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
11 January 2021 Updated |
Easing access to basic income scheme
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
|
23 December 2020 |
Agreement on measures targeted at the long-term unemployed
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
30 November 2020 |
Special vocational educational scheme for the unemployed in public and broader public sector and NGOs
Cyprus, Other initiatives or policies |
03 November 2022 |
Temporary employment during the period of registration as unemployed
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 October 2020 |
Subsidised employment: Incentives for companies to hire unemployed
Cyprus, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
24 October 2020 |
Programs to improve the employability of unemployed people
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 October 2020 |
Subsidy for 100,000 recruitments of unemployed
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 October 2021 Updated |
Springboard initiative for long-term unemployed
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 October 2021 |
Corona Job offensive
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 October 2021 |
Training and employment for youth and people with a guaranteed minimum income
Romania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 October 2020 |
Supporting the labour market integration of young people - internships ATIVAR.PT
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 October 2020 |
Financial support for the hiring of young unemployed - Incentive ATIVAR.PT
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
06 October 2020 |
Wage subsidy in agriculture
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 October 2020 |
Internship ATIVAR.PT - Internships for unemployed persons with disability or impairment
Portugal, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 October 2020 Updated |
Re-start bonus (combination wage allowance)
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
01 October 2020 Updated |
Wage support to re-employ previously laid off staff
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
28 September 2020 |
Employment reintegration contract for disadvantaged workers
Luxembourg, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 September 2020 |
Support for self-employment of people with disabilities
Lithuania, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 September 2022 Updated |
European Social Fund to help Ukrainian refugees find employment
Sweden, Other initiatives or policies |
09 September 2022 |
Additional funding for language training program for refugees
Sweden, Other initiatives or policies |
09 September 2020 |
Tripartite educational programmes for the laid off and the unemployed
Norway, Other initiatives or policies |
08 September 2020 Updated |
ATIVAR.PT Labour market integration internships
Portugal, Other initiatives or policies |
08 September 2020 |
Special vocational and educational schemes and subsidy of wage costs
Cyprus, Other initiatives or policies |
07 September 2020 |
Incentive ATIVAR.PT - Financial incentives to hire registered unemployed
Portugal, Other initiatives or policies |
24 August 2020 Updated |
Employment grant to promote access to employment
Malta, Other initiatives or policies |
21 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital traineeship subsidies
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
21 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital employment subsidies
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
18 August 2022 Updated |
Green and digital subsidy for self-employment
Croatia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
26 July 2021 |
Re-employment contract
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 July 2020 Updated |
Measure: 'Employment for you': subsidised employment for hiring unemployed
Bulgaria, Tripartite agreements |
13 July 2021 |
New Pathways to Work strategy as part of National Recovery Plan
Ireland, Other initiatives or policies |
13 July 2020 Updated |
Wage support for job creation/workforce support programme for companies (2021)
Hungary, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
10 July 2020 Updated |
Increased unemployment benefit rate granted during education
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
09 July 2020 Updated |
Right to combine unemployment benefit with training
Norway, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
03 July 2023 |
Subsidising work in Western Macedonia and the Peloponnese
Greece, Other initiatives or policies |
23 June 2022 |
Measures to prevent unemployment - work and study
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Support for starting a business
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Employment mediation service by Unemployment Insurance Fund
Estonia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Provision of training
Poland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Encouraging micro enterprise employers to hire unemployed
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Device for the assessment and recognition of competence
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
23 June 2022 |
Work foundation (outplacement)
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
13 June 2023 |
Helping Refugees: Measure No. 3 – Volunteering activities
Slovakia, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 June 2023 |
Investment in entrepreneurs in information technology, circular economies and the green transition
Lithuania, Other initiatives or policies |
01 June 2021 Updated |
NL Keeps Learning: Training subsidy for the unemployed (NLLD - S)
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
20 May 2022 |
Pathways to integration through economic activity for Ukrainian refugees
France, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
24 April 2021 |
Financial incentives to hire unemployed on an open-ended basis
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
17 April 2020 |
Guide to the COVID-19 'Job-VET-model'
Denmark, Non-binding recommendations or other texts |
16 April 2020 Updated |
More opportunities for VET
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 |
More places and more distance learning at higher education institutions for unemployed
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 Updated |
More active labour market policy
Sweden, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 April 2020 |
Distance learning introduced for public training programmes
Greece, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
08 April 2021 Updated |
Assistance in hiring the unemployed
Bulgaria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
07 April 2021 Updated |
DKK 50 million for the upskilling of unemployed from the mink industry
Denmark, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
03 April 2020 Updated |
Extension of the employee re-employment obligation to nine months
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
11 March 2021 |
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities: A pilot to overhaul hiring processes in the wake of COVID
United Kingdom, Company practices |
01 March 2023 |
Establishment jobs: labour market integration
Sweden, Tripartite agreements |
01 March 2023 |
Switch to Sweden: matching international talent
Sweden, Other initiatives or policies |
23 February 2023 |
Work Foundation in the environmental field
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
02 February 2021 |
The new annual programme of Public Employment Services Network
European Union, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 January 2022 |
Governmental investments in green jobs
Sweden, Other initiatives or policies |
12 January 2022 |
New measures concerning re-employment contracts
Luxembourg, Other initiatives or policies |
12 January 2022 |
Measures on work placement
Luxembourg, Other initiatives or policies |
02 January 2023 |
Refugeework.nl
Netherlands, Other initiatives or policies |
02 January 2021 Updated |
COVID-19 education bonus
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
Responses to inflation |
|
14 September 2022 |
One-time €200 bonus against inflation
Italy, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
05 September 2022 |
Aid of €200 for workers, self-employed and unemployed people
Spain, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
01 June 2022 Updated |
One-time inflation compensation payment for people in need
Austria, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
16 May 2022 |
Increase in social benefits to mitigate effects of increased cost of living
Finland, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
12 May 2022 Updated |
One-time payment for receivers of unemployment and social assistance and unemployment benefits
Germany, Legislations or other statutory regulations |
30 January 2023
Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.
Article12 September 2022
Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Article12 September 2022
This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.
Article5 July 2022
This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.
ArticleDisclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.