2022

chapter in monograph

english

EN Unemployment has been one of the main economic problems for Serbia in recent decades. A proper assessment of the link between labor market performance, macroeconomic factors and labor market institutions is crucial in order to address this issue adequately. This chapter aims to examine unemployment in Serbia through a comprehensive analysis of the major factors influencing the labor market, including the correlation between economic growth, labor market institutions and (un)employment in the period from 2001 to 2019. Moreover, the study explores employment protection legislation, the unemployment benefit system and active labor market policy. This research shows that proper estimation of the effects of flexibilization on labor market performance requires further and more sophisticated empirical study, which would allow these effects to be distinguished from the influence of other institutional and macroeconomic factors. Three specific areas should be targeted – econometric analysis of the effects of reforming specific labor market institutions on key labor market indicators; evaluation of the skills mismatch; and examination of the main factors that affect migration flows taking into account both internal and external migrations. The current knowledgebase indicates that caution is advised about how optimistically one can regard the degree of positive effects achievable from legislative reforms seeking to reduce employment protections. Furthermore, labor market flexibilization was not accompanied by strengthening security networks provided by labor market institutions, which had negative consequences on the balance between labor market flexibility and security.

09.07.2025

89 - 124

10.1163/9789004500068_006

https://brill.com/display/book/9789004500068/BP000006.xml

Social Security in the Balkans - Volume 3. An Overview of Social Policy in Serbia and Kosovo

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