Employed labour force rose by more than 100 thousand over the past 12 months

Over the past 12 months, the number of people in paid employment increased by 109 thousand. Women mainly account for the increase. In the same period, the unemployment rate in the employed labour force fell from 7.4 too 6.9 percent. In June, 611 thousand 15 to 74-year-olds were unemployed. On average, 8 thousand people found work every month during the past three months. Unemployment fell by an average of 5 thousand a month during that period, as the most recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands show.

UWV: number of unemployment benefits further down

For the fifth consecutive month, the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) recorded a decrease in the number of current unemployment benefits. By the end of June 2015, 410 thousand unemployment benefits were paid, i.e. 6 thousand down from May. UWV states that the number of current unemployment benefits has decreased by more than 20 thousand relative to one year ago.

Two-thirds have paid jobs

The 15 to 74-year-old population in the Netherlands comprises 12.7 million individuals, of whom 65.4 percent (8.3 million people) had paid work in June. Nearly half are employed on a part-time basis. In the first quarter of this year, 27 percent of men and 75 percent of women were working in part-time jobs.

Last month, a total of 611 thousand people were unemployed: they had no jobs, but were immediately available and in search of employment. The remainingg 3.8 million people in the age category 15-74 are included in the so-called non-labour force, i.e. they had no jobs, were not available or not looking for work.

Number of employed women 85 thousand up relative to June 2014

The number of employed women rose by 85 thousand to more than 3.8 million compared to June 2014. The most recent figures for the first quarter of 2015 show that the number of women employed in education, business economics and in administrative occupations has increased noticeably.

Fewer new unemployment benefits granted to men than last year

In the first six months of this year, the UWV paid 289 thousand new unemployment benefits, nearly 15 thousand fewer than in the same period in 2014. Men almost entirely accounted for the decrease.  Therefore, the number of new unemployment benefits declined most substantially this year in traditionally male-dominated sectors.

Share of people who find work lowest among those with minimum and maximum benefit entitlement period

In the first six months of this year, 320 thousand unemployment benefits were stopped. Half of benefits were stopped, because people found work. The share of people who found work was below average among people entitled to the minimum or maximum benefit period. The share among under-27s, for example, whose average maximum entitlement period is 3.8 months, is 43 percent. The share among over-50s, who have an average maximum entitlement period of 29.2 months, is 45 percent.