Boosting jobs and incomes: Policy Lessons from Reassessing the OECD Jobs Strategy

In 1994, OECD countries endorsed a set of policy guidelines intended to cut high and persistent unemployment – the OECD Jobs Strategy. For a decade, this groundbreaking work became an influential blueprint in the reform process of member countries. In 2003, the Employment and Labour Ministers asked the Secretariat to reassess the Jobs Strategy in light of new evidence and emerging challenges. Given the critical importance of well-functioning labour markets for good economic and social outcomes, my predecessor as Secretary-General, Donald Johnston, assigned a very high priority to this mandate which was completed under his stewardship.

This report, together with the background analysis published as the 2006 edition of the OECD Employment Outlook, responds to such ministerial request. It puts forward a restated OECD Jobs Strategy with a comprehensive set of policy recommendations covering macroeconomic management, incentives to work and to create jobs, taxes and welfare benefits as well as skills development.

OECD: Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs: Employment Policy: Employment Outlook and OECD Jobs Strategy: OECD Employment Outlook 2006 - Boosting Jobs and Income - Key reports on line http://www.oecd.org/document/19/0,3746,en_21571361_36276310_36276371_1_1_1_1,00.html

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