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Jobless Swedes lying to unemployment agency

TT/David Landes
TT/David Landes - [email protected]
Jobless Swedes lying to unemployment agency

One in four unemployed Swedes lie to the Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) about having applied for positions recommended to them by the agency.

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Overall, nearly 30 percent of employers offering positions through the agency never receive an application from people recommended for the jobs.

Asked as to why they refuse to new job, the unemployed respond that they don’t think the position suits their education or that they see themselves as either under- or over -qualified.

Other reasons for not taking a recommended job include a lengthy commute or high travel costs.

The findings come from a study by the Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation (IFAU) in which they asked employers about people who are recommended for jobs and also end up applying for the position.

IFAU also conducted a number of in-depth interviews with job seekers who decided not to apply for the positions to which the unemployment agency recommended them.

In order to make unemployment insurance legitimate, those who are receiving unemployment benefits must apply for the jobs they are assigned, Anne-Marie Qvarfort, head of the Swedish Unemployment Insurance Board said in a statement.

If a job seeker doesn’t apply for an appropriate position or enroll in a recommended labor market entry program, the Public Employment Service is responsible for informing the Unemployment Insurance Board of the situation.

The Board reviews and then decides if someone has the right to unemployment benefits. If the job seeker doesn’t provide a legitimate reason for why he or she didn’t apply for a position or refused to accept a job offer, the Board can reduce or eliminate that person's unemployment benefits.

On a more positive note, IFAU’s study also shows that between 13 and 14 percent of those who seek a position recommended to them by the Public Employment Service are also offered a job.

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