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Asia Expert Roundtable on Unemployment Protection 2024

Update: 14 October 2024

Materials

Programme

https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/ShowRessource.action?id=58751

Confirmed participants

https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/ShowRessource.action?id=58752

Photos

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8it3vumdkh30ywqw7f7g9/ALW8NgCZISVnhp0ZrmVk_4A?rlkey=056gxw5o2kw3dia5inb9oipyv&dl=0


Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented health and economic crises to the world. Attempts to contain the spread of the coronavirus through lockdown measures and travel restrictions have disrupted economic and social stability across all countries in Asia and the Pacific and hit vulnerable groups the hardest. As in past crises, the pandemic has demonstrated that well-functioning social protection systems are effective tools to prevent people from falling into poverty and to build resilience by acting as powerful economic and social stabilisers that can trigger a swift recovery. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the crucial role of unemployment protection schemes in ensuring income security for workers and their families and supporting the unemployed workers to return to work. Unemployment protection programmes are also paramount to support those adversely impacted by technological innovations as well as environmental and climate change, by facilitating structural change and a just transition for enterprises and workers in all sectors.

As one of the branches of social protection schemes, unemployment protection aims at guaranteeing a partial and temporary income replacement in the event of job loss. In addition, the Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Convention, 1988 (No.168) calls the ILO member states to coordinate unemployment protection and employment promotion. To this end, the integrated system of unemployment protection and employment promotion must ensure that unemployed workers protected by the system be supported through employment promotion programmes such as employment services, skills development, and entrepreneurship support measures.

The maturity of unemployment protection in Asia is diverse. For example, East and Southeast Asian countries have unique unemployment protection mechanisms that stand at the different levels of maturity. Looking at the time elapsed since the establishment of unemployment benefits in each country, Japan (1947), the People’s Republic of China (1986) and the Republic of Korea (1995) boast the longest history of implementing comprehensive unemployment insurance schemes in the region; Lao PDR (2001), Thailand (2004), India (2005) and Viet Nam (2009) have been implementing schemes more than ten years and may be in a phase of revising policy designs to improve the schemes; Malaysia (2018), the Philippines (2019) and Indonesia (2022) implemented schemes in recent years; Cambodia and Myanmar (2012) regulated employers’ liabilities on severance pay but no statutory unemployment benefit scheme though despite the fact that the launch of unemployment insurance is contemplated in the Social Security Laws; and Singapore and Brunei have neither statutory unemployment benefit scheme nor employers’ liability scheme.

Similarly, effectiveness of active labour market policies including public employment services and re-skilling training varies considerably across the region. While Japan and the Republic of Korea provide integrated support services to jobseekers, the administrative capacity of implementing such services in most middle- and low-income countries in the region is rather modest. Except handful of countries, many countries do not have unemployment benefits from public schemes, a core of protection for unemployed workers. Even in countries with unemployment benefits, many of them have not established an integrated system of unemployment protection and employment promotion measures.

Objective

This meeting aims to:

1. Facilitate knowledge sharing among unemployment protection experts in the region;

2. Stock-take knowledge and experience about policy, administration, and operation of unemployment protection; and

3. Promote discussion on effectiveness and emerging challenges of unemployment protection.

Date and venue

9 – 10 October 2024 at Plaza BP Jamsostek, Ballroom, 6th Floor, Jakarta

https://maps.app.goo.gl/RfniBFDg8EYvBq6QA

October 9

Time

Programme

08:00 – 08.30

Registration

08.30 – 08.50

Opening remarks

u  Master of Ceremony (5)

u  Ms Simrin Singh, Country Director, ILO (5)

u  Ms Mami Taketani, Section Chief of International Affairs Division, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan (5)

u  Mr Anggoro Eko Cahyo, President Director, BPJS-TK (5)

08:50 – 10:30

Session 1: Recent development of unemployment protection (1)

Key topic:

-          Policy design and implementation of unemployment insurance schemes

-          Coverage, adequacy, financial sustainability, impact, emerging challenges etc.

-          Reforms in progress, and why

Panellists:

u  Overview of unemployment insurance in Asia and international labour standards (15)

Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

u  Job loss security programme in Indonesia (15)

Mr Decky Haedar Ulum, Social Security Director, Ministry of Manpower, Indonesia

u  Employment insurance in Malaysia (15)

Mr Muhammad Adam Al-Nawawi Bin Abdul Aziz, Head of Monitoring and Development, Social Security Organisation (PERKESO), Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia

u  Unemployment insurance scheme in Mongolia (15)

Ms Undram Batbold, Specialist of the Industrial Accident and Occupational Disease Insurance Policy and Planning, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection, Mongolia

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (10)

APINDO, Indonesia (5)

Mr Roni Febrianto, Vice President, KSPI, Indonesia (5)

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (30)

Moderator: Mr Simon Brimblecombe, Chief Technical Advisor & Head of Regional Actuarial Unit, ILO DWT-Bangkok

10.30 – 10.45

Coffee break

10.45 – 12.00

Session 2: Recent development of unemployment protection (2)

Key topic:

-          Policy design and implementation of unemployment insurance schemes

-          Coverage, adequacy, financial sustainability, impact, emerging challenges etc.

-          Reforms in progress, and why

Panellists:

u  Unemployment benefit in Lao PDR (15)

Ms Ackkharath Khoutthavanh, Deputy Director, Public Relations Department, Lao Social Security Organization (LSSO), Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao PDR

u  Unemployment insurance in the Philippines (15)

Mr Jude Thomas P. Trayvilla, Assistant Regional Director of National Capital Region, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippines

u  Unemployment benefits in Thailand (15)

Mr Koungkicht Manochai, Social Security Expert, Benefits Bureau, Social Security Office, Ministry of Labour, Thailand

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (15)

Mr Ekachai Keesookpun, Chairman of the Advisory, Employers' Confederation of Thailand (ECOT), Thailand (5)

Mr Jesse Francis Rebustillo, Co-Chair of Training Committee, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Philippines (5)
Mr Carlos Miguel Oñate, Legislative Officer, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) (5)

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (15)

Moderator: Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

12.00 – 13.00

Lunch

13.00 – 14.30

Session 3: Financing unemployment insurance and good governance

Key topic:

-          Actuarial valuations for policy reforms

-          Shock responsive measures and risk financing

-          Tripartite participation in policy discussion and social security governance

u  Financing unemployment insurance and crisis responses (15)

Mr Simon Brimblecombe, Chief Technical Advisor & Head of Regional Actuarial Unit, ILO DWT-Bangkok

u  Recent policy development and financial implications in Sri Lanka (15)

Mr Balasubramaniam Vasanthan, Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, Sri Lanka

u  Recent policy development and financial implications in Viet Nam (15)

Ms Bui Thu Anh, Official, Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Viet Nam

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (5)

Ms Ngo Thi Phuong Thao, Policy Specialist, Law Department, Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), Viet Nam

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (40)

Moderator: Mr Jie Yu Koh, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Phnom Penh

14.30 – 14.45

Coffee break

14.45 – 16.15

Session 4: Extension strategy of unemployment insurance coverage (1)

Key topic:

-          More countries extend coverage to workers in temporary employment, whereby workers are engaged only for a specific period of time, includes fixed-term, project- or task-based contracts, as well as seasonal or casual work, including day labour. Some countries even explore the extension to self-employed.

-          What rules apply to them?

-          How to count required contribution records?

-          How to differentiate voluntary and involuntary termination, or expiry of fixed-term contract?

u  Background (5)

Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

u  Employment insurance system in Japan – Updates and extension strategy (15)

Mr Koh Yamada, JICA Labour Policy Advisor to the Indonesia Ministry of Manpower, Japan

u  Employment insurance for expansion of coverage self-employed in Korea (15)

Mr Hochul Shin, Chief Technical Advisor, ILO-ROAP

u  Extension strategy for unemployed migrant workers (15)

Mr Francis Ron de Guzman, Assistant Secretary for Reintegration, Department of Migrant Workers, Philippines

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (10)

Mr Carlos Miguel Oñate, Legislative Officer, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) (5)

Mr Jesse Francis Rebustillo, Co-Chair of Training Committee, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Philippines (5)

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (20)

Moderator: Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

16.15 – 16.30

u  Wrap-up (15)

Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

October 10

Time

Programme

08:00 – 08.30

Registration

08.30 – 08.45

u  Master of Ceremony (5)

08.45 – 10.15

Session 5: Open policy dialogue

This session will require no presentation. The moderator first invites selected participants to share views to key and common issues that the region is experiencing, and then open to all participants to contribute experiences and insights.

u  What do you see the main advantages unemployment insurance has brought to your country since its introduction?

u  What have been the main challenges since unemployment insurance was introduced in your country, and what policies and measures have helped overcome them?

Government, Indonesia

KSBSI, Indonesia

APINDO, Indonesia

BPJS Employment, Indonesia

u  Are your countries considering establishing unemployment insurance schemes?

u  What challenges do you foresee to introduce and implement the schemes?

Mr Kuoch Somean, Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, Cambodia

Mr Balasubramaniam Vasanthan, Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Foreign Employment, Sri Lanka

Mr Md. Abdus Samad Al Azad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Bangladesh

Mr Md. Khaled Hasan, Additional Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Division, Bangladesh

Ms Aida Maria Soares Mota, Senior Social Security Technical Officer, National Institute of Social Security, Timor-Leste

u  How does unemployment protection measures cope with demographic changes (e.g. ageing, youth unemployment)?

u  What policy adjustments are needed?

Mr Koh Yamada, JICA Labour Policy Advisor to the Indonesia Ministry of Manpower, Japan

Ms Ngo Thi Phuong Thao, Policy Specialist, Law Department, Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), Viet Nam

u  What roles do unemployment insurance and ALMPs play in the context of climate change and just transition?

Mr Oleksiy Ivaschenko, Senior Social Protection & Jobs Specialist, Asian Development Bank

u  What challenges do unemployment insurance schemes face to cover the platform economy workers?

u  What policy changes you see as needed to allow them to be protected by unemployment insurance in the future?

Mr Ekachai Keesookpun, Chairman of the Advisory, Employers' Confederation of Thailand (ECOT), Thailand

Any other participants

Moderator: Mr Andre Gama, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Hanoi

10.15 – 10.30

Coffee break

10.30 – 12.00

Session 6: Extension strategy of unemployment insurance coverage (2)

Key topic:

-          More countries extend coverage to workers in temporary employment, whereby workers are engaged only for a specific period of time, includes fixed-term, project- or task-based contracts, as well as seasonal or casual work, including day labour. Some countries even explore the extension to self-employed.

-          What rules apply to them?

-          How to count required contribution records?

-          How to differentiate voluntary and involuntary termination, or expiry of fixed-term contract?

u  Enhancing service excellence in unemployment insurance implementation (15)

Ms Roswita Nilakurnia, Director of Services, BPJS Employment Indonesia

u  Extension of unemployment insurance in China (15)

Mr Lijun Zhang, Director of Unemployment Insurance Department, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, China

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (10)

KSBSI, Indonesia (5)

APINDO, Indonesia (5)

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (45)

Moderator: Mr Rubén Vicente, Social Protection Project Manager, ILO-Beijing

12.00 – 13.00

Lunch

13.00 – 14.30

Session 7: Institutional set-up (1)

Key topic:

-          Linking unemployment benefit, public employment services, re-/up-skilling programme, and institutions

-          How to schedule mandatory monthly meetings

-          How to link results of mandatory monthly report to continuation of payment

Panellists:

u  Background (5)

Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

u  Institutional set-up and arrangements for Employment Insurance in Korea (15)

Kyounghee Chong, ILO-Korea Program Manager, ILO-Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and COMWEL, Korea

u  The role of Hello Work in Japan (15)

Mr Mitsuru Maemura, Director of the Office for Economic Partnership Agreement, Employment Security Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan (5)

u  Development of SIAPkerja Application as part of building LMIS in Indonesia(15)

Mr Muchamad Yusuf, Head of Labour Market Centre, Ministry of Manpower, Indonesia

u  Institutional set-up in Viet Nam (15)

Ms Le Hai Anh, Deputy Head of Unemployment Insurance Unit, Social Insurance Policy Implementation Department, Vietnam Social Security, Viet Nam

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (15)

Ms Ngo Thi Phuong Thao, Policy Specialist, Law Department, Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), Viet Nam (5)

APINDO, Indonesia (5)

Mr Roni Febrianto, Vice President, KSPI, Indonesia (5)

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (30)

Moderator: Mr Ippei Tsuruga, Social Protection Programme Manager, ILO-Jakarta

14.30 – 14.45

Coffee break

14.45 – 16.15

Session 8: Institutional set-up (2)

Key topic:

-          Linking unemployment benefit, public employment services, re-/up-skilling programme, and institutions

-          How to schedule mandatory monthly meetings

-          How to link results of mandatory monthly report to continuation of payment

Panellists:

u  Institutional set-up in Malaysia (15)

Mr Muhammad Adam Al-Nawawi Bin Abdul Aziz, Head of Monitoring and Development, Social Security Organisation (PERKESO), Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia

u  Institutional set-up in the Philippines (15)

Mr Jude Thomas P. Trayvilla, Assistant Regional Director of National Capital Region, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippines

u  Institutional set-up in Mongolia (15)

Ms Undram Batbold, Specialist of the Industrial Accident and Occupational Disease Insurance Policy and Planning, Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection, Mongolia

u  Challenges, needs and perspectives of workers and employers (10)

Mr Jesse Francis Rebustillo, Co-Chair of Training Committee, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), Philippines (5)

Mr Carlos Miguel Oñate, Legislative Officer, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) (5)

u  More insights from workers and employers, and Q & A (25)

Moderator: Mr Diego Rei, Employment and Labour Market Policy Specialist, ILO-Jakarta

16.15 – 16.30

Closing remarks

Mr Pramudya Iriawan Buntoro, Director of Membership, BPJS Employment

Timekeepers: Ms Raniah Salsabila and Ms Dewita Nanda Prastiwi.

Language

English and Indonesian (simultaneous interpretation will be provided)

Financial support

This event is financially supported by the Government of Japan, BPJS Employment and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Events 09.10.2024 - 10.10.2024 Malaysia , Republic of Korea , Cambodia , India , Indonesia , Viet Nam , China , Philippines , Sri Lanka , Japan , Bangladesh , Myanmar , Lao PDR , Thailand Unemployment
18.10.2024