Labour minister admits unemployed are over-monitored

Finland’s labour minister, Matias Marttinen, has acknowledged that the unemployed are subjected to excessive monitoring by authorities, the Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports.

Marttinen said the worst situation is when an unemployed person does not know what they can do without losing their benefits. He noted that the system has become burdened by bureaucracy and rigidity, and that the government aims to reduce reporting requirements for jobseekers.

The comments come as the government moves to ease rules for unemployed people who want to study. Last week, the government proposed that those aged over 25 would be allowed to take open university courses without fear of losing benefits. Currently, labour authorities assess whether the extent of the studies prevents the payment of unemployment benefits.

Marttinen said the change is needed partly because unemployment among highly educated people has risen. He hopes universities will offer more pre-packaged study modules in the future. The legal amendment is planned to take effect by next autumn.

According to Marttinen, there are no immediate changes planned regarding voluntary work, but the goal remains to clarify the system overall. “The worst situation is if an unemployed person does not know what they can do without losing their safety net,” he said.

Marttinen also reaffirmed that the government’s target of creating 100,000 new jobs, set when Petteri Orpo’s government took office, remains in force.

Tags: Finland, unemployment, labour policy