FREN, in cooperation with UNDP, worked on a research project „Position of the most vulnerable groups on the labor market“. The first part of the project was an assessment of the most vulnerable groups according to their socio-demographic characteristics and below average labor market performance. Labor market performance was measured using following indicators: unemployment rate, employment and participation rate etc. but also indicators dealing with quality of employment and unemployment, such as vulnerable employment level and share of the long-term unemployed in overall number of unemployed. These general indicators were then further anlyzed at the group level according to age, sex and educational achievement in order to analyze the risks which each group member faces.
After having identified the status of the most vulnerable groups on the labor market, the study assessed the effects of global economic crisis on these groups and developed policy recommendations. Having in mind financing problems the Government of Serbia is faced with, this part of the study especially gains on the importance. In times of the economic crisis there isn’t enough room for increasing resources devoted to active and passive labor market policies. That’s why it is of extreme importance that these limited funds are devoted to the activities with the highest rate of return, in the sense that benefits of the program by far outweigh the costs of the program. FREN’s study gives considerable contribution to defining these activities.
Upon completion of the second draft of the report “Position of the most vulnerable groups on the Serbian labor market”, a press conference was organized where the main findings of the research and recommendations for improving the position of the vulnerable groups on labor market were presented. The press conference was held on February 11, 2010. It was attended by the representatives of the relevant ministries, international and non-governmental organizations, UNDP, as well as local and international experts. Some very useful comments and suggestions from the conference were included in the final version of the report. The study was published in June 2010 by UNDP in circulation of 500 copies. FREN distributed the study to the relevant ministries, international organizations, scientific institutes, non-governmental organizations, as well as to the local and international experts in areas of labor market and social policy.