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“Of an unprecedented demand for workers,” said Gerhard Straßer, state manager of the Public Employment Service (AMS), today, Monday, at the presentation of the AMS work program for 2023. This trend has been going on since April 2021. Despite a crisis-ridden political environment, the development is unbroken. “The labor shortage will keep us busy in the long term – the demographic data alone speak for it,” said Straßer.
The AMS has to meet these new challenges on the labor market with a budget that is significantly lower than in the previous year: 153.2 million euros are available for this year. In 2022 it was 188.5 million euros. In addition to the expiring corona subsidies, the significantly reduced unemployment figures are also a reason for this development. The unemployment rate in our federal state was 4.0 percent in 2022 – the second lowest value after Salzburg. “The staff for the qualification offers is less,” said Straßer: For certain offers, such as the environmental foundation, there are hardly any participants to get. There should be compromises in quantity, but not in quality. There will be massive losses in those subsidies that are intended to place those people with companies who are unsure whether they fit the position or have a future in the company: “But the demand from the companies is so great that we can reckon that these monetary incentives are not needed.” In the case of economic problems that are reflected in the labor market, there must be help from the federal government.
No case of short-time work since November
Around 120,000 people register as unemployed with the AMS Upper Austria every year: the aim is to get people on the job market as quickly as possible, said Iris Schmidt, deputy state manager and as of May 1st state manager: “The data should be recorded when you first contact us If possible, the unemployed will be given job offers immediately.” Not only the AMS, but also the companies have to increase the speed: Anyone who waits weeks before responding to an application should not be surprised if the applicant has changed his mind in the meantime. “If the unemployed person lacks important qualifications, i.e. there are deficits, this is also dealt with immediately.” The matching, i.e. bringing together the job seeker and the company, should start immediately. Willful parking by workers is also to be prevented: promises to hire or re-hire would only be accepted for a period of up to six weeks. In the weather-dependent sectors, it is up to three months. There have been no cases of short-time work in Upper Austria since October.
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