Unemployment scheme cuts benefits bill

Wednesday 09 July 2014

A States scheme to get 109 Islanders back to work for eight weeks cost £138,000 in wages - but saved £200,000 in benefits.

The figures are contained in a summary of the JobsFest scheme; half of the Islanders who were supported by the initiative have been kept on by their employers.

The States paid eight week’s worth of wages and social security contributions for 109 jobseekers who were hired between 7 October and 30 November, and who hadn’t worked at all last year, prior to the Back to Work scheme starting.

64 Islanders are still in employment and so not reliant on States hand-outs – 40 of them are still in their original JobsFest role. 

The Social Security Minister Senator Le Gresley said: “I am delighted that the initiative has been so successful. Employers were not required to keep the jobseekers on after the incentive ended and many of the roles were only expected to last for less than eight weeks. That fact that so many employers have shows that offering employers a short-term wage incentive gives them the confidence to hire someone that they might not otherwise have considered.

“JobsFest was effectively an eight-week job interview. The Back to Work team gave in-work support to both the employer and employee throughout the initiative, and feedback suggests that was an important element in ensuring that the jobs continued.”

“Every person who took part in JobsFest was unemployed. Now, six months later, they are either in full time employment or have improved their CV and skills. It has successfully reduced the cost to the States and given jobseekers fresh inspiration.”