Area: Sociala
Competent authority: MDDSZ
EZU URL: .nan
Initiative ID: 42
Initiative accepted and completed: '2012-09-11'
Initiative classified in EZU: .nan
Initiative forwarded in response: '2012-08-13'
Initiative published: '2012-08-13'
Initiative submitted: '2012-08-10'
Response from the competent authority: 'In accordance with the above, we would like
  to clarify that the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter:
  the Service), whose position and competences are defined by the Labour Market Act
  (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, st 80/10 and 40/12-ZUJF) in Articles
  73 to 84, is the central public institution in the labour market and is organised
  as a public institution uniformly for the territory of the Republic of Slovenia.
  Its main task is to work with unemployed persons and other jobseekers in the form
  of job placement and employment counselling, lifelong career orientation, the implementation
  of the unemployment insurance system, the implementation of active employment policy
  measures, as well as the production of analytical, development and other professional
  materials in the field of its activity. As a central public institution in the labour
  market, the Agency, in the fulfilment of its mission and tasks, makes an important
  contribution to increasing the employment and employability of the Slovenian population
  and is at the same time a key body for the implementation of the policy of the Government
  of the Republic of Slovenia in relation to the consequences of the global recession
  on the Slovenian labour market. Due to the described function, the Institute represents
  the most important lever of the State in solving the unemployment problem and in
  the integrated treatment of unemployed persons and other jobseekers.In order to
  implement the proposal to abolish the Institute, it would be necessary, on the basis
  of thorough analyses prepared in advance on the necessity and functionality of the
  Institute and the consequences of its abolition or reorganisation at the professional
  level, to ensure at least the smooth functioning of the existing system of providing
  unemployment benefits, and it would also be necessary to redefine and systemically
  classify the functions and tasks of the Institute or of the entity that would perform
  the above-mentioned tasks in its place. In our view, the implementation of the proposed
  changes in practice would require, in view of the delicate social situation in which
  individuals find themselves when they lose their jobs, a truly serious reflection
  and careful, but at the same time up-to-date and swift action.In our view, it would
  make more sense to approach the reorganisation of the institution and to implement
  measures that would contribute to greater professionalism and at the same time to
  streamlining of the institution''s work in terms of the impact, which is visible
  in particular in the form of new jobs for unemployed persons. There is no doubt
  that the Institute could gain in prestige by improving its organisational structure
  and thoroughly streamlining its operations, but on the other hand, it is also necessary
  to take into account the fact that since 2009 the Institute has been facing a higher
  inflow of unemployed persons and a post-graduation (with virtually unchanged staffing
  levels), an enormous increase in the volume of work, and on the other hand a decrease
  in the number of vacant posts overall; this is not only a problem for the Institute,
  but also a problem for its staff. As regards the allegations of inefficiency and
  lack of conscientiousness on the part of the Institute''s civil servants, it should
  also be pointed out that, in addition to educational qualifications and knowledge
  of all the applicable regulations, practical experience, a sense of sympathy for
  people in need and the ability to understand them are also, and above all, important
  for the performance of the job of employment counsellor. However, due to the fact
  that the civil servants of the institution are bound by the legislation adopted,
  the qualities described above are often not and cannot be perceived in practice
  by the persons who come into contact with them. In the light of the above, we consider
  the proposal to be inappropriate, since it is clearly based primarily on the personal
  convictions of the petitioner, who, in his petition for the abolition of the Institute,
  does not provide any justification for his proposal, and who is clearly unaware
  of the full scope and nature and content of the activities carried out by the Institute.
  The State, through the Institute, cannot directly influence the employability of
  unemployed persons with private sector employers, either, but can only act as an
  intermediary, while each individual is largely responsible for his or her own success
  in finding a job. In the light of the above, we believe that in the future, efforts
  should be made to increase the efficiency of the Institute''s operation, while a
  unilateral and reckless decision to abolish it would, in our opinion, be neither
  sensible nor useful in the current economic and social situation in which the Republic
  of Slovenia finds itself. Moreover, it is not insignificant that any such change
  would also require the securing of a broad political and social consensus and, last
  but not least, a political decision at the highest level to impose it. We would
  further like to clarify that the Centres for Social Work are the key actors in the
  social welfare sector in Slovenia. The mission of the social work centres has extremely
  important and also challenging tasks in the social protection system. The volume
  of work is increasing every day and the content of the work is becoming more and
  more complex. Their tasks cover a wide range of services, programmes and measures
  in the field of social protection, from providing first social assistance, counselling
  individuals and families, intervening in cases of domestic violence, providing care
  for people with mental health problems, the elderly, people with disabilities and
  other vulnerable groups of people, to carrying out tasks under the laws providing
  for social security and family benefits. The role of social work centres is extremely
  important and we are not considering abolishing them.'
Text file: 42.txt
Title: Proposal to abolish CSD and ZPIZ
URL: https://www.stopbirokraciji.gov.si/pobuda/?st=42
