VPLn8809 Labor Market Policy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Tomáš Sirovátka, CSc. (lecturer)
PhDr. Markéta Horáková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Josef Horňáček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Tomáš Sirovátka, CSc.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the principles, goals, tools and effects of employment policy and labor market policy. At the same time, lead the audience to understand the links between economic and social mechanisms that influence the functions of labor market policy. To acquaint students with the methods of labor market analysis and labor market policy, as well as the principles of creation and implementation of measures and projects in the area of employment.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students: (1) understand the meaning of using individual employment policy tools in relation to labor market problems; (2) they are able to identify the most appropriate instruments; (3) they are able to analyze the effects of active policy measures; and (4) they are able to propose specific solutions to labor market problems.
Syllabus
  • I. Overall Framework, Objectives, and Strategy
  • 1) Implications for labor market policy resulting from labor market theory
  • 2) Employment policy: macroeconomic regulation of labor demand
  • 3) Labor market policy
  • II. Passive and Active Labor Market Policy
  • 4) Unemployment income compensation and analysis of unemployment income compensation schemes
  • 5) Development of an active labor market policy
  • 6) Active labor market policy - principles and types of measures
  • 7) Labor market policy in the Czech Republic and its specifics
  • 8) Prospects for the development of employment policy and labor market policy
  • III. Policy effects and their evaluation
  • 9) Effects of labor market policy
  • 10) Analysis of the effects of labor market policy
Literature
    required literature
  • Sirovátka, T., Horáková, M., Horák, P. 2014. Česká politika zaměstnanosti v době krize a po krizi. MUNIpress, Albert.
  • Tomáš Sirovátka and Ondřej Hora Czech Republic: activation, diversification and marginalization in Clasen J., Clegg, D. 'Regulating the risk of unemployment. National adaptations to post-industrial labour markets in Europe'. Oxford University Press 2
  • OECD 2012. Employment Outlook. Chapter 1: Waiting for the Recovery: OECD Labour Markets in the Wake of the Crisis, Chapter 2: What Makes Labour Markets Resilient During Recession?, viz www.oecd.org
  • Sirovátka, T., Rákoczyová, M. 2021. Front-line work in activation and targeting of re-qualification programmes: lessons from the Czech Republic. European Journal of Social Work
  • Horák, P. 2014. Role lokálních projektů v české politice zaměstnanosti. Brno: MUNIpress. S. 1-67, 145-153.
  • Layard R. Nickell S., Jackman R.: The Unemployment Crisis. Oxford Univ. Press, 1995, s. 90-109.
  • Sirovátka, T. Czechia: political experimentation or incremental reforms? ch. 11 in S. Theodoropoulou (ed) 2018. Labour Market Policies in The Era of Pervasive Austerity. A European Perspective. Bristol, Chicago: Policy Press, pp.253-276.
  • Nicaise I. et al. „Pitfalls and Dilemmas in Labour Market Policies for Disadvantaged Groups and How to Avoid Them.“ European Journal of Social Policy 1995, 5: 199-217.
  • Zákon č. 435/2004 Sb., par. 67-84, 104-120
  • Zákon č. 435/2004 Sb., par. 1 – 66
  • Sirovátka T.: Politika pracovního trhu, MU v Brně, 1995.
  • Berkel, R.; Graaf, W.; Sirovátka, T. (eds.). 2012. Governance of the Activation policies in Europe. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. Volume 32, No 5/6, s. 260-285
  • Finn D., Blackmore M. 2001. Aktivizace očima klientů a terenních pracovníků, s. 285 – 302. in OECD Opatření na trhu práce a veřejné služby zaměstnanosti. OECD a MPSV ČR.
  • Calmfors L. Active Labour Market Policy and Unemployment. A Framework for the Analysis of Crucial Design Features. Paris, OECD 1994
  • O. Hora, M. Horáková, T. Sirovátka Diversity of youth policy regimes and early job insecurity – towards an integrated approach, chapter 7, in Youth unemployment and job insecurity in Europe: Problems, risk factors and policies, Edited by Bjørn Hvinden,
  • SIROVÁTKA, Tomáš. When workfare fails: post-crisis activation reform in the Czech Republic. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Emerald, 2016, roč. 36, 1-2, s. 86-101.
  • SIROVÁTKA, Tomáš a Henk SPIES. A new perspective on activating young people. In Sirovátka, T. and H. Spies. Effective interventions for unemployed young people in Europe. Oxon a New York: Routledge, 2018. s. 10-28.
  • Clasen J., Clegg, D. 'Regulating the risk of unemployment. National adaptations to post-industrial labour markets in Europe'. Oxford University Press 2011, chapter 1 Unmployment protection and labour market change: towards triple integration (pp. 1-12
  • Hora, O., Sirovátka, T. 2020 Why targeting matters: The apprenticeship program for youth in the Czech Republic, Social Policy and Administration, 54 (7): 1198-1214
  • W. de Graaf, T. Sirovátka 2012. Governance reforms and their impacts on the effects of activation policies International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 32, 5/6: 353-363.
  • Bonoli, G. 2011. Active Labour Market Policy in a Changing Economic Context. In Clasen, J.; Clegg, D. (eds.) Regulating the Risk of Unemployment. National Adaptations to Post-industrial Labour Markets in Europe. Oxford: University Press (318-332)
  • OECD 2005. Employment Outlook. Chapter 4: Labour Market Programmes and Activation Strategie: Evaluating the Impacts (www. oecd.org)
  • Růst, konkurenceschopnost, zaměstnanost (Bílá kniha). Praha, Ustav mezinárodních vztahů, 1995, s. 9-55, 113-147.
  • Samuelson, P. A., Nordhaus, W. D.: Ekonomie: doporučeno kapitoly Nezaměstnanost, Inflace, nezaměstnanost a inflace, povinně heslo Okunův zákon a hospodářský cyklus. 1991 (1. vydání).
  • Strategie Evropa 2020. (Národní program reforem, zejména část zaměstnanost).
  • OECD 2007. Activating the Unemployed: What Ccountries Do?
    recommended literature
  • Sirovátka T. 2005. "Individuální přístup a strategie aktivace v politice na trhu práce v České republice." Sociální práce, 1, 41-55.
  • Zhodnocení krátkodobých a střednědobých dopadů vybraných programů APZ realizovaných v roce 2014 s důrazem na situaci dlouhodobě nezaměstnaných / Ondřej Hora, Miroslav Suchanec, Markéta Horáková, Miroslava Rákoczyová, Tomáš Sirovátka - Praha: VÚPSV, v.v.i
  • Sirovátka, T. and J. Winkler (2011), “Governance of activation policies in the Czech Republic: uncoordinated transformation”, in van Berkel, R., de Graaf, W. and T. Sirovátka (eds) Governance of activation policies in Europe, Palgrave, pp 173-194.
  • European Employment Strategy (materiál Evropské komise z r. 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010). (www. europa.eu.int), Strategie Evropa 2020
  • OECD 2012. Employment Outlook. Chapter 1: Waiting for the Recovery: OECD Labour Markets in the Wake of the Cisis, Chapter 2: What Makes Labour Markets Resilient During Recession?
  • Brown, A. J. G., & Koettl, J. (2015). Active labour market Programmes: Employment gain or fiscal drain? Bonn, Germany: The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40172-015-0025-5
  • DeKonning J. 2001. Jak lze zefektivnit programy aktivní politiky? S. 303 – 326 in OECD: Opatření na trhu práce a veřejné služby zaměstnanosti. OECD a MPSV ČR.
Teaching methods
Discussion in class, homework, reading compulsory literature, seminar work
Assessment methods
Seminar work, two intermediate tests containing four questions, a written exam containing four questions from different thematic blocks
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
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