Denmark is known for having a
high rate of employment. Their policies are often created in order to cater to
maintaining a low rate of unemployment. Policies are often changed or
‘phased
out’ in order to keep the unemployment rate low.
As
women initially began to enter the labor force, Denmark began to make a shift from
the traditional
‘bread-winner’ model to the ‘dual-earner dual-carer’ model.
From
1960-1974:
- Participants from age 15 to 64 in
the labor market grew from 71.2% to 76.6%.
- Female participation grew from
43.5% to 63.2% in the nation.
|
|
No Children |
1 Child |
2 or More Children |
|
Women’s Employment Rates |
78.5% |
88.1% |
77.2% |
|
Men’s Employment Rates |
86.2% |
91.6% |
90.1% |
Source:
Martin & Katz 2003
As women began to integrate into the work force, activation policies became prevalent in Denmark’s work policies. Activation policies are focused around discourses about fighting:
Unemployment
- It involves creating successful policies which stimulate employment and encourage the Danish people to enter the labor market.
- It also involves encouraging those who are unable to fully participate in the labor market to leave by offering them early retirement incentives.
- As for other participants, they encouraged them to take a leave-of-absence in order to have a lower official unemployment rate.
Structural Unemployment & Care
- They influence contrasting policies to be created.
- The policies created in reaction to those
discourses help those on welfare or currently unemployed training and
educational opportunities in order to re-enter the workforce with a higher
level of capability.
Denmark keeps people happy!
References:
Martin, Gary and Vladimir Kats. 2003. “Families and Work in Transition in 12 Countries, 1980-2001.” Monthly Labor Review. 126 (9): 3-31.
