Public Work in an International and Hungarian Context

The objective of active labour market policies (providing labour market services and supporting ) is to channel back those without a job to the labour market as soon as possible. work, regarded as an active instrument, is generally criticised for not substantially employment rate; most jobs produce low added value; participation decreases the and willingness of those concerned to find a job. In addition, the programmes prove be expensive and make people more dependent on the unemployment benefit. According to experts one of the benefits is that in the short and medium term the programmes provide the of survival to the participants and can also contribute to implementing the other tasks of while decreasing poverty and inequalities. Another beneficial impact is its to make the disadvantaged groups more dynamic whose primary labour integration unlikely. It is also suitable for overcoming the challenges of structural unemployment and the downsides of global economic crises. The public work programmes are facing challenges internationally and in Hungary, as well. Our paper presents the problems public work (if it is effective enough and able to fulfil its mission) as one of the most frequently instruments of employment policies both theoretically and empirically, and also from international as well as a Hungarian perspective.