Hannu Mäkinen appointed to develop a model for employing people with partial work ability

The task is to define the content of the model for employing people with partial work ability in Finland and how the operations are to be organised and funded. The aim is to improve the opportunities of people with partial work ability and other persons who are in a difficult position to find employment. Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen has appointed Director General of Finnish Customs Hannu Mäkinen to explore the matter.

In the autumn budget session, the Government decided on actions to build a Finnish model for employment in the intermediate labour market. The model to be developed will be based on the good experiences from Sweden's Samhall company and the results of the Finnish job bank experiment.

“We should be able to make even better use of the skills and expertise of all people in the labour market. The aim of the work that is now getting started is to construct a concrete operating model that will facilitate the employment of people with partial work ability,” Minister Haatainen says.

The purpose of the Finnish model is to increase employment opportunities where the person is in an employment relationship with an intermediate labour market actor. Along with the improved employment opportunities, a certain percentage of the employees would move to the service of other employers. The model would also include the training and other support needed for the transition to the open labour market.

Hannu Mäkinen will be assisted by a secretariat and he will engage in close cooperation with the different ministries and relevant stakeholders.

The work on the model is to be completed by 31 January 2021.

Inquiries:
Kimmo Ruth, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 048 073, [email protected]