The Higher Employment Council draws up its accounts and draws up a first economic “assessment” of this crisis in Belgium. Temporary unemployment has exploded, much more than during the 2008 crisis. And the most “vulnerable” have been young people, women, and those over 55 years of age.
The Higher Employment Council highlights the frontline victims of this crisis on Thursday. On the job market, the under 25s, the over 55s, and women are more vulnerable.
“This time, there has been a greater influence on the level of women than traditionally during crises. The Covid crisis has mainly affected men but a certain number of sectors have been affected where there are many women”, says Steven Vanackere, vice-president of the Jobs Council.
The use of temporary unemployment exploded during the crisis much more than during the economic crisis of 2008. “We have registered more than 1.2 million people temporarily unemployed. Even at the height of the financial crisis, we were only 230,000”, enlightens us Steven Vanackere.
500,000 files still being processed
Horeca, accommodation and construction are the sectors most affected by temporary unemployment. This concerns those sectors where telework was not an option. Temporary unemployment must remain a back-up solution. “It costs social security far too much and it does not give an opportunity to the talents who can possibly be mobilized elsewhere to find a career”, deplores the vice-president.
In the meantime, the use of temporary unemployment has not weakened. 500,000 files are being processed by ONEM for the month of June. So many workers who are on leave that they will then have to be reintegrated into working life.
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