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Unemployment in Poland discusses the causes and measures of unemployment in Poland and strategies for reducing it.

Definition and measurement

Unemployment rates are reported by Polish governmental department, Główny Urząd Statystyczny (GUS, Central Statistical Office), and the European Union's Eurostat office. The measurements often differ, with Eurostat reporting lower numbers, as it does not count as unemployed those who have given up looking for work altogether).

Trends

As of April 2014, Poland's unemployment rate has been reported as 13.5% (GUS) and 9.6% (Eurostat).

Following Poland's transformation from a communist to capitalist economy in the years 1989/1990, the unemployment sharply increased from 0% (as communist economies were officially characterized by nearly full employment, not accounting for unofficial hidden unemployment) to 6.5% in 1990, peaking at 16.4% at 1993, and then decreasing to about 10.3% in 1997. The unemployment rate then begun rising again until 2002, reaching a zenith of almost 20% around that time. It has dropped to 8.9% in September 2008, but then started rising again, reaching about 13% in the years 2012-2014. The unemployment raise in the late 2000s and early 2010s has been attributed to the global recession in that period.

According to Eurostat data, unemployment in Poland has been constantly below the EU-28 average (since Poland's accession to the EU in 2004). At the same time, the unemployment rate in Poland has been higher than that in most other post-communist new EU members.

Analysis

One of the characteristics of Poland's unemployment is difference between regions, with the eastern regions being seen as usually worse affected. However, data do not show a clear correlation with the Poland A and B ("rich west" vs "poor east") division.

One of the elements blamed for high unemployment were inefficient labor laws making job creation difficult, and unduly protecting senior employees (aged over 56).

Entrenched structural unemployment is especially problematic in Poland, with 46% of the jobless being long term unemployed

One of the consequences of unemployment has been a relatively high rate of youth immigration to other European countries, estimated in 2014 as 2 millions (out of Poland's approximately 40 million population).

Unemployment remains one of the most serious issues facing Polish economy.

Unemployed were a group in particular risk of being affected by poverty (see poverty in Poland).

Unemployment benefits

To get unemployment benefits in Poland, one has to register with the appropriate government office, lack of the possibility to be employed or to be professionally activated within the field of activities proposed by the said office, have worked for a total of at least 365 days in the period of 18 months before the day of registration.

Around 2013, only 16.7% of the unemployed in Poland received unemployed benefits.

References

1. ^ http://www.wbj.pl/article-58030-poland-strong-growth-high-unemployment.html
2. http://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/praca-wynagrodzenia/bezrobocie-stopa-bezrobocia/stopa-bezrobocia-w-latach-1990-2014,4,1.html
3. ^ http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&language=en&pcode=teilm020
4. http://ycharts.com/indicators/poland_unemployment_rate
5. ^ Gavin Rae. "The Debt Crisis in Poland and its impact on society. Study". Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
6. Frank H. Columbus (1998). Central and Eastern Europe in Transition. Nova Publishers. p. 76. ISBN 978-1-56072-597-8.
7. Janice Bell (1 January 2001). The Political Economy of Reform in Post-communist Poland. Edward Elgar Publishing. pp. 73–74. ISBN 978-1-84064-123-3.
8. Edward Lazear. Economic Transition in Eastern Europe and Russia: Realities of Reform. Hoover Press. p. 401. ISBN 978-0-8179-9333-7.
9. ^ Miroslawa Czerny (1 January 2006). Poland in the Geographical Centre of Europe: Political, Social and Economic Consequences. Nova Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-59454-603-7.
10. ^ http://www.eures.praca.gov.pl/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=115
11. http://www.money.pl/gospodarka/wiadomosci/artykul/zasypanie;przepasci;miedzy;polska;a;i;b;zajmie;dekady,32,0,643360.html
12. http://rynekpracy.org/wiadomosc/594402.html
13. "Polska emigracja: ile na tym tracimy, a ile zyskujemy - Jedynka". polskieradio.pl. 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2014-06-01.

External links

• Template:Pl icon Stopa bezrobocia w latach 1990-2014 (Unemployment Rates in the years 1990-2014), Główny Urząd Statystyczny
• Skill shortages, emigration and unemployment in Poland - causes and implications

• Unemployment by country
• Economy of Poland