Registered unemployment in Estonia stable at 4.8 percent
At the end of April, the number of registered unemployed in Estonia had increased by 538 on year to 31,005, with the unemployment rate steady at 4.8 percent.
Compared to March numbers, the number of unemployed was smaller by 4.4 percent. While the total number of unemployed people declined, the number of people with limited work capacity among the unemployed increased, just as during the previous month, due to the nationwide work capacity reform. At the end of April, there were 8,166 people with limited work capacity among the unemployed, the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) said.
The number of people with limited work capacity among the registered unemployed has been growing month after month. While people with limited work capacity accounted for one-fifth of all unemployed at the end of January, by the end of April the figure had climbed to 26 percent. The number of unemployed without limited work capacity declined in April as a result of a seasonal increase in labor demand.
The rate of registered unemployment remained highest in Ida-Viru County at 10.8 percent and Valga County at 8.4 percent; the lowest rate of unemployment was registered in Harju County at 3.4 percent. Unskilled workers made up the biggest part of the registered jobless who had previously worked, accounting for 23 percent of such unemployed persons at the end of the month. Skilled workers and craftsmen, in turn, accounted for 19 percent and service and sales personnel for 17 percent of the unemployed.
The EUIF received a total of 5,968 new job offers in April, six percent more than in March and approximately ten percent more on year; 58 percent of these job offers were submited via the EUIF's e-service. The majority of jobs on offer were for service and sales personnel (26 percent of jobs), skilled workers and craftsmen (23 percent) and unskilled workers (19 percent).
During the month of april, 4,258 people, including 706 persons with limited capacity for work, found employment or started a business with the help of the EUIF.
10,886 people received unemployment insurance benefits in April, making up 30 percent of the registered unemployed. The average benefit per calendar month was €430 and the sum total disbursed was roughly €4.2 million. The basic unemployment allowance of €151 per month was paid to 7,715 persons, accounting for 21 percent of the total number of registered unemployed.
Layoff benefits were paid to 430 people in April, with the average size of the benefit awarded that month totaling €1,678. The sum total paid out in layoff benefits was more than €757,000.
Benefits in case of insolvency of the employer were awarded to 26 persons, with the average size of the benefit totaling €2,657. Overall more than €102,000 was disbursed in such benefits.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS