THE LABOUR MARKET IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC - STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS

The labour market is sensitive and vulnerable place in the Slovak economy, as shown by the global crisis, since 2009 with significant signs in case of Slovakia compared to most EU economies. Unemployment in Slovakia has significant economic, social and political dimensions, as well as many socio-economic, regional, generational, ethnic and other specifics. Adverse effects of the crisis have affected mainly the category of disadvantaged persons, as well as some of the lagging regions of Slovakia. Unemployment in Slovakia is one of the most serious economic and social problems, which prevents the full realization of the growth potential of the economy, with regard to its structural nature. Slovakia is among the countries which are struggling with high long-term unemployment rate (over 12 months). During the whole period since in the Slovakia is real long-term unemployment known (end of 1992), its structure and causes have not been fundamentally changed. But it changed its scope and the duration of unemployment has increased as well as at the national level, and in individual regions. Serious and long-lasting economic and social problems are regional differences in unemployment. Unevenness in the distribution of the unemployment in different regions is linked not only to the historical development of the Slovak economy, but also with its modern, highly differentiated development, and despite economic recovery these differences remain significant. Nowadays, young people in the age group 15-24 years are the most vulnerable group in the labour market. The youth unemployment rate is generally higher than the overall unemployment rate. Creating inequalities in access to the labour market is largely due to lack of abilities, skills and work experience in own field of study that are currently unfolding barriers in access to the labour market. The aim of this paper is to assess developments in the labour market with an emphasis on unemployment and its structural characteristics, identify persistent problems and risk factors for the employment growth.