ilo.org (11.12.2023) Public employment services have a central role in responding to crises and fostering recovery to ensure efficient and well-functioning labour markets. This Q&A provides details from the first global report by the ILO on public employment services, shedding light on the latest developments and trends of employment services and active labour market policies.

ILO Working paper (Dec 2023) This paper takes food-delivery platforms as a case study in China to examine the impact of digital labour platforms on employment and presents findings in employment structure, employment relations, working conditions, wages, protection of workers and social insurance in the food-delivery sector. The study reviewed the deteriorated employment situation in China during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased proportion of workers joining the digital platform economies such as ride-hailing, delivery and domestic work, the disruptions in production, business operations (particularly in the accommodation and catering sectors), and labour mobility that contributed to the influx of workers from other service sectors to food-delivery sector. The key characteristics of platform employment in the food-delivery sector and challenges in China’s national employment policies and regulations of digital labour platforms reflected how the national employment policies in China has evolved in the specific context and offered an insight into the barriers and possible pathways toward the inclusive and sustainable development with full, productive, and freely chosen employment and decent work for all. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to promote decent employment in the platform economy beyond the traditional national employment policy frameworks.

Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Nov 2023) This report aims to support a shift in vision around social protection and climate change in the Asia-Pacific region by improving understanding of the socio-economic challenges likely to arise from climate change in the medium to long term, and how social protection can be used to manage them. The report provides a framework which goes beyond the more usual analysis – focused on climate extremes, shocks and disasters – to conceptualise the wider set of risks arising from climate change, and the potential role of social protection to address them.

ILO Working paper (05.12.2023) This paper examines the experiences of delivery workers on digital labor platforms in Chile and analyses the implications of the platform business model. It highlights challenges in working conditions and algorithmic management practices, which are crucial to address for ensuring decent work, as Chile moves towards implementing a new law to regulate platform work.

voxdev.org (30.10.2023) Improving the payment infrastructure for India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme raised incomes — mostly through increases in non-programme earnings India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) is among the largest and most influential social programmes in the world, guaranteeing 100 days of paid work to 8% of the world’s population. The programme was designed as a vital lifeline to India’s poor, tasked with smoothing income in agricultural off seasons and providing “employment of last resort” in the face of unforeseen economic hardship. At the same time, the NREGS has faced both practical challenges and more fundamental critiques. Administration has not been easy: few workers report being able to access the promised 100 days per year of employment on demand, and wages are frequently delayed (The Hindu 2023). And critics have long contended that if it were well-implemented such a scheme would be problematic, as it could crowd out private-sector employment. This critique gets to the heart of the programme’s design, as the work requirement is the core mechanism in place to ensure that benefits reach only those who really need them. Other than this, and the restriction to rural areas, eligibility is not restricted in any way.

helpage.org (23.11.2023) The world is turning a blind eye to the need to address the profound link between the rapidly ageing population and climate change – leaving older people invisible in debates about how to address the crisis. With HelpAge’s new report on climate change, we look at what is happening around the world and share recommendations for a more inclusive response to climate change.

oecd (21.11.2023) Long-term unemployment remains a structural challenge for most OECD countries. Despite major efforts to address this issue, the efficiency and effectiveness of many existing active labour market policies are limited for jobseekers who face major vulnerabilities and have no ties to the labour market. Therefore, there is a need for innovative approaches that specifically address the barriers faced by long-term unemployed individuals in their labour market (re)integration. This paper discusses examples of promising practices from across Europe, which can serve as a source of inspiration for policymakers seeking new approaches to assist vulnerable jobseekers in overcoming the challenge of long-term unemployment.

The Guardian (23.11.2023) On Tuesday, the supreme court ruled unanimously that Deliveroo riders are self-employed and do not have a right to collective bargaining. After seven years of legal battles, a case brought by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) that began in Camden and Kentish Town, north London, finally reached the end of the road. For Deliveroo, the result is a substantial victory. The decision means the company is protected from the need to collectively bargain with a union over fundamental issues such as the lack of a guaranteed minimum wage. The supreme court decided that riders were correctly described as self-employed, and that Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – which guarantees the rights of freedom of assembly and association – does not give self-employed people the right to collective bargaining.

ssa.gov (Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 83 No. 4, 2023) Since 2012, the Social Security Administration has offered online my Social Security accounts to provide a key informational resource to the public. Yet the number of my Social Security accountholders remains lower than the agency had hoped for. We conducted a mixed-methods study involving quantitative analysis of survey data and qualitative analysis of personal interviews to examine potential barriers to my Social Security access and to evaluate account users' experiences. The quantitative analysis shows that lower levels of internet literacy and educational attainment are barriers to accountholding and use. Our qualitative findings suggest that my Social Security can be useful in retirement planning, especially for younger adults, by filling knowledge gaps and correcting mistaken expectations. Further research can address ways to minimize or eliminate barriers to my Social Security access and use, and explore how to maximize its effectiveness in supporting retirement readiness and Social Security literacy.

worldbank.org (01.11.2023) Identifying those who are most in need of social protection services and benefits is a challenge for any decision maker. The erroneous identification of the population group that needs assistance may result in serious consequences in terms of equality, effectiveness of public expenditure, and primarily, the legitimacy of any country’s social policy. In Latin America and the Caribbean, social registries have become a key element in the design and implementation of social policy. They allow for the transparent identification of the persons living in poverty and vulnerable situations and serve as a tool for monitoring changes in the level of wellbeing of each person or family identified. More than information systems, social registries are a key instrument for policy management and the social and economic inclusion of the most vulnerable groups . Good social registries help with the identification of those who need to be reached and the exploration of where possible care gaps exist.

pensionpolicyinternational.com (14.10.2023) MALAYSIA is undergoing a significant demographic shift towards an ageing population.  The World Bank has projected that with 14% of the population aged 65 and above by 2044, it will officially be an “aged society”. By 2056, Malaysia is expected to become a “super-aged society”, with over 20% of its population in that category.  While this brings challenges in areas such as employment, income security and aged care, the shift also presents economic opportunities, particularly in the field of aged care services.  Meanwhile, the United Nations’ (UN) World Social Report highlights disparities in saving for old age, with 46% of adults in high-income countries saving compared to only 16% in middle- and low-income countries. Old-age pensions come in three primary types, namely tax-financed pensions, mandatory contributory pensions, and voluntary or private contributory pensions. 

World Food Programme (19.10.2023) When crises hit, delivering government assistance through digital payments can help lay the foundations for greater financial resilience and women’s economic empowerment. In Haiti, WFP’s work has centred around building Digital Public Infrastructure for more inclusive and adaptative Social Protection.

Le Temps (10.11.2023) En Suisse, on est en général très contents de la qualité du système de santé mais assez déprimés par les coûts qu’il engendre. Alors quittons un instant notre pays pour regarder comment les choses se passent ailleurs. Par exemple au Danemark, dont le système de santé est cité comme exemple depuis sa grande réforme de 2007. Quel est son secret? On vous explique.

oecd.org (2023) Health at a Glance provides a comprehensive set of indicators on population health and health system performance across OECD members and key emerging economies. This edition also has a special focus on digital health, which measures the digital readiness of OECD countries’ health systems, and outlines what countries need to do accelerate the digital health transformation.

OSE (2023) Often depicted as the epitome of the future of work in the digital society, working through digital platforms has triggered heated political and scientific debates in the field of labour relations and social protection. The business model of one specific type of platform, namely ‘on-location’ platforms such as Uber and Deliveroo, has been widely questioned (Casilli 2020; Srnicek 2017)

ose.be (2023) The case of electricity production and supply, hospital, and public administration sectors

paho.org (02.11.2023) One of the eight guiding principles for the digital transformation of the health sector promoted by the Pan American Health Organization is inclusive digital health. This policy brief presents key concepts, recommended lines of action and indicators for monitoring with the aim of advancing inclusive digital health.

ids.ac.uk (18.10.2023) In July 2023, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) hosted a series of online learning events which explored and showcased learning and impact from the Covid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE) programme. The events brought together researchers and funders to consider the implications of CORE’s main areas of learning for managing multiple crises and building the resilience of the most vulnerable. They facilitated conversations around future research collaborations for building resilience and equity, shaped around three key areas of learning: 1) Informality and marginalised groups in crisis response; 2) Shockproof and inclusive fiscal policies and 3) Equitable support for livelihoods and food. This learning guide draws out the key messages and learning from across the three events.

 World Food Programme (Feb 2023) The study examines the barriers and opportunities to strengthening digital financial inclusion for cash transfer recipients in the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on Bangladesh, Cambodia and Nepal. Specifically, it maps the existing evidence on the landscape of digital financial inclusion and cash transfer programmes in the region, and explores the perspectives and experiences of cash transfer recipients in receiving digital cash transfers. Based on this, it provides recommendations for humanitarian and development actors, governments and WFP to improve the realisation of digital financial inclusion through the digitisation of cash assistance.

euractiv.com (31.10-2023) EU institutions are preparing for confrontation over the functioning of the legal presumption of employment, the most sensitive aspect of the Platform Workers Directive, in a trilogue next Thursday (9 November).