The Flemish Government is set to require those receiving unemployment benefits and wage subsidies to register with the Flemish Employment Service (VDAB), Belga News Agency reports.
The new measure specifically targets recipients of a "living wage" benefit from Belgium's Public Welfare Centre (CPAS-OCMW). This is income offered to those whose total income is less than Belgium's official living wage, as defined by CPAS-OCMW.
"In order to get more welfare recipients to work, we want to anchor the obligation to register with the VDAB by decree and we are going to develop objective guidelines for the CPAS-OCMW about who is suitable for work and who is not," Flemish Employment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) announced on Monday.
Of the more than 40,000 living wage welfare recipients in Flanders, only 22.5% are expected to find work which pays a living wage after one year. However, this figure rises to 40% for those who are registered with the VDAB.
'We will also reach Ukrainians'
Brouns added that he also hopes that mandatory registration with the VDAB will ultimately benefit many of the 17,000 Ukrainian refugees currently based in Flanders. Just over half of all Ukrainian living wage welfare recipients are registered with the VDAB, a proportion which is roughly equivalent to that of the Flemish population as a whole.
"We will also reach the Ukrainian refugees in Flanders," said Brouns (CD&V). "In addition, we will ensure a better exchange of information between CPAS-OCMW and the VDAB."
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Flemish Home Affairs Minister Bart Somers (Open VLD) also noted that the Flemish Government will set aside a combined total of €20 million over 2023 and 2024 to encourage living wage recipients to seek appropriate employment.
"The number of 'activated' living wage recipients [i.e. welfare recipients who eventually find decent work] is too meagre," Somers said. "In some cities and municipalities, the number of living wage recipients is falling faster than in others. To encourage local authorities to make it work, we will provide a premium of €1,000 for the municipalities per 'activated' living wage recipients above the Flemish average."
