Page 62 - COMENIUS MANAGEMENT REVIEW

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I. Ratium
Discrimination at the labour market is a long-term resonating theme in Slovakia touching all
categories of citizens-households. According to some research studies it is perceived in the most
sensitive way by a middle-aged generation and University educated part of population. Last two
years 2006-2007 has shown that feeling of discrimination has been resonated with the youngest
generation. A gradual transition to market economy is resulting in a gradual creation of a labour
market and a radical change in the situation in the employment sphere. Concepts such as
unemployment, poverty, employment policies, public employment policies, active employment
policies, passive employment policies, unemployment compensation, have become a reality in
Slovakia. Its appearance in Slovakia after the year 1990 had diverse causes (conversion of
armament production, reduction of heavy industry, also caused by the breakdown of the markets,
restructuralization linked with technological innovations and changes in the ownership
relationships). The new reality required many solutions, which not always represented the essence
of the problem, but often rectified the existing situation. From January 2004 the realization of
active market policies thorough an office of a specialized public administration is adapted again.
The source of the financing is the public budget and the resources of the European Social Fund. A
quality system of active labour market policies must pursue efficient, effective and transparent use
of public resources.
Situation 2005 when the research started (and key trends): GDP growth remained high and
reached 4.2%. The overall employment rate (57.7%) is still under the EU average (62.9%). The
female rate is 51.4%. The employment rate of older workers (24.6%) is with extremely low
employment rate of older female workers (11.2%). Unemployment rate declined to 17.1% (now²ºº 8%
= historical minimum) , but long-term unemployment (11%) and unemployment of young people
under the age of 25 (32.9%) remain very high. At-risk-of poverty rate 21% is the highest in the EU
25 with unfavourable dispersion around the risk-of-poverty – 13% of the population has income
lower than 40% of the national risk-of-poverty threshold. Social protection expenditure is on
declining trend and stood at 19%, below the EU 15 and EU25 average (27%).
The current policy objectives in the SR are strongly related to the national employment
strategy built on idea that employment is the most effective way to fight poverty and that welfare
dependency should be very strong discouraged. Decentralisation of the provision of public social
services should also be completed in order to bring them closer to people. The measures in the SR
address individual issues within the social inclusion process: measures are defined well and are
supported by amended labour law/new labour legislation, the educational aspect is taken on board
though different initiatives aimed at groups at risk of social exclusion. Besides the key SR