BRATISLAVA, May 19, (WEBNOVINY) — The registered unemployment rate in Slovakia in April dropped 0.19 percentage points to 12.94 percent, Director General of the Central Office for Labor, Social Affairs and Family Ivan Juras told journalists on Thursday. Juras ascribes the modest decline to an increase in seasonal works, stronger demand to register for self-employment and lower number of voluntarily jobless persons caused by higher health insurance premium rates, introduced in early 2011. Labor offices registered the impact of this novelty. The health insurance premiums paid by voluntarily jobless individuals not registered at labor offices rose from EUR 28.92 to EUR 46.06. When a person registers with the labor office, the duty to pay health premiums automatically shifts to the state. “This factor is already behind us,” Juras remarked. Rising economic activity, too, is an important factor that reduced the jobless rate.
The registered unemployment rate in April grew 0.42 percentage points in annul terms. The number of job seekers able to start a job instantly dropped 5,025 m/m but increased 8,926 y/y to 345,303. On the whole, 384,465 persons were without job in April, down 8,018 m/m and up 1,317 y/y. The jobless rate calculated on the basis of the overall figure of jobseekers stood at 14.41 percent. Compared to March 2011, the indicator lost 0.30 percentage points but ticked up 0.15 percentage points versus April 2010.
Over the fourth month of this year, 22,700 persons registered at labor offices, which was 3,100 less versus March 2011. However, the figure grew 102 in annual terms. A total of 30,700 persons were erased from the register in the monitored period. The average duration of registration in April represented 13.86 months.
SITA