Maria João Carreiro confident in mobilising social sector and companies to integrate workers with vulnerabilities - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego

The Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment is confident in the "mobilisation" of the social sector as well as companies and employers in the Region to integrate workers with vulnerabilities into the labour market, benefiting from public support from the Social Employment Market (MSE).

At the installation session of the MSE Coordination Council, which took place in Ponta Delgada, Maria João Carreiro recalled that the new regulation of the main public policy instrument regulating government action on labour inclusion is based on the principle of promoting prosperity and the full potential of Azorean workers.

"The development we are advocating for the Region needs everyone's participation. Everyone, regardless of their personal and social circumstances, must benefit from equal opportunities, including the labour market," she said.

The MSE Coordination Council is responsible, among other things, for monitoring the implementation of MSE measures, such as incentives for hiring and inclusive entrepreneurship, in addition to support for training and socio-professional integration.

This body includes the Institute for Social Security of the Azores, IPRA, the Regional Union of Misericórdias dos Azores, the Union of Private Social Solidarity Institutions, UGT-Açores (General Union of Workers of the Azores), CGTP-IN/Açores (General Union of Workers) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Azores.

The MSE Coordination Council is chaired by the Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, and also includes the Regional Director for Vocational Training and Employment, the Regional Director for the Promotion of Equality and Social Inclusion, and the Regional Director for Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness.

MSE recipients include people aged 50 or over, the very long-term unemployed, those with low qualifications, those with disabilities, those with social problems, ex-convicts or domestic violence victims.

Among the measures of the new MSE is, for example, Contratar Social, through which employers who hire unemployed people in vulnerable situations on the labour market for an indefinite period can benefit from support of up to 26 thousand Euros for each new job created, over four years.

Companies and employers can also benefit from specific financial support for hiring people with disabilities in the form of a financial contribution towards salary costs for six years.

The contribution varies between 90% of the company's salary costs for the hired worker, in cases where the worker's disability is equal to or greater than 90%, and 40% in cases of disability equal to or greater than 40% and less than 60%.

"Incluir" is another new measure, through which the MSE unemployed can take a traineeship with an employer. These traineeships are promoted by intermediary organisations, such as Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS). They are responsible for managing and monitoring the traineeship projects of the unemployed people with whom they are already working.

These traineeships can last up to 24 months, including two rest periods. Trainees will receive a monthly grant corresponding to 100% of the Regional Minimum Monthly Wage and a meal allowance while also being covered by the Social Security system.

The entities promoting traineeships (intermediaries) will receive monthly financial support corresponding to 23.75% of the traineeship grant awarded, per trainee, for the duration of the traineeship. Promoters will receive support equal to 50% of the total amount awarded during the traineeship should employers hire trainees. 

The new MSE regulations were published on January 7, following the approval by the Council of the Government, preceded by consultation with the Social Partners. 

Applications for the MSE must be submitted through the https://emprego.azores.gov.pt portal, where the MSE Desk and the MSE Implementation Guide are available.