Evaluation of the Next Job Model of the Public Employment Service (“registering as unemployed with the Public Employment Service”)

The model “AMS Next Job” (or “registering as unemployed with the Public Employment Service”) is a service provided by the Public Employment Service for employed persons who are facing job loss and are already informed of the time of their dismissal. “AMS Next Job” gives them the possibility to register and start their job search through the Public Employment Service at this early stage. The offer has existed Austria-wide since the year 2005.

Through early registration for job search, the aim of the model AMS Next Job is to enhance the possibilities of the persons concerned to find adequate employment quickly and to keep the period of unemployment as short as possible or, ideally, to avoid it altogether. Moreover, through early transmission of data, the availability of a cash benefit can be accelerated and insurance gaps can be avoided.

However, early registration with the Public Employment Service still has a relatively low significance to date. This gives rise to different questions: What are the quantitative developments over time in the individual branch offices and what is the overall picture? What role do different personal characteristics play? And what reasons for these developments can be identified?

The survey is to provide insight into options for improvement based on real numbers on usage and development of this model and regarding the perception of this model by clients of the Public Employment Service. In addition, international good practice models were prepared and analysed in regard to their transferability.