The role of OAED

The Manpower Employment Organization is the official public authority and central structure managing a wide range of policies and actions for the benefit of the citizens. It is a legal entity of public law, based in Athens, and it is supervised by the Hellenic Ministry of Labour, Social Insurance, and Welfare.

OAED is a central pillar of the welfare state and an operational arm for the fight against unemployment. The main actions of OAED focus on supporting and strengthening the workforce through the promotion of employment, unemployment insurance, social protection of motherhood and family, vocational education and training, but also on other social policy actions aimed at improving the livelihoods of the workforce.

Even during the pandemic the Organization showed flexibility and fast reflexes in managing to respond immediately and effectively to the new needs created, quickly implementing emergency measures, activating new employment and training programs, utilizing technology and applying innovative tools, so that the services provided by OAED become more accessible, faster and of better quality.

The Active Employment Policies aim to curb unemployment, promote employment and improve the professional skills of the unemployed and employees.

These include policies such as:

• Counselling Services (Personalized Approach, Vocational Guidance and Reorientation, Counselling Techniques of Job Search and Business Initiative Counselling)  

• Employment Promotion, with reduction programs a) of wage labour costs, b) of non-wage labour costs through the grant of insurance contributions, facilitating the transition to work, with an emphasis on the groups most affected by unemployment, as well as on vulnerable groups

• Collaborations with social and local institutions in local employment programs with a central role of OAED PES

• Promoting adaptability of employees and companies while maintaining employment

• Job Supply and Demand Matching with the support of job counselors but also electronically, through the web portal of the Organization

• EURES Network, a portal for the coupling of labor supply and demand at European level.

At the same time, the Active Employment Policies include actions aimed at improving the employability of the Workforce through the acquisition and development of its skills. In this context, OAED is active in the fields of Vocational Education and Vocational Training, providing comprehensive programs of initial and post-secondary vocational education and training through its educational structures.

In fact, since 1952 it has been implementing the Second Apprenticeship system (theoretical and laboratory training in the classroom, along with paid internships in companies).

The goal here is also to curb unemployment and promote employment through the improvement of professional skills.

The Passive Employment Policies refer to unemployment insurance measures through benefits, as well as to social protection benefits (maternity benefits, operation of OAED Nursery Schools, etc.).

This includes most of the benefits such as the regular unemployment benefit, the long-term unemployment benefit, the family allowance, maternity benefits, etc.

Also, in the framework of passive policies are included the operation of the Nursery Schools, as well as the implementation of actions and management of obligations and outstanding commitments of the abolished Workers' Housing Organization and Workers' Club Organization (L.4144/2013)