07 July 2014
More than six months after JobsFest ended, more than half of jobseekers who found work through the initiative are still in employment.
JobsFest ran from 7 October and 30 November and was designed to inspire all jobseekers and to get those who had been out of work for the whole of 2013 into short-term jobs.
Under the JobsFest Employer Incentive, the wages and social security contributions were paid for those eight weeks in the hope that more permanent employment that did not require States support would follow. Of the 109 eligible jobseekers who were hired during under the JobsFest Employer Incentive, 64 are still employed, 40 in their original role.
An eight-week job interview
The Social Security Minister Senator Le Gresley said “I am delighted that the initiative has been so successful. Employers were not required to keep the jobseekers on after the incentive ended and many of the roles were only expected to last for less than eight weeks. That fact that so many employers have shows that offering employers a short-term wage incentive gives them the confidence to hire someone that they might not otherwise have considered.
“JobsFest was effectively an eight-week job interview. The Back to Work team gave in-work support to both the employer and employee throughout the initiative, and feedback suggests that was an important element in ensuring that the jobs continued.”
Income Support savings
More than £200,000 was saved in Income Support over the six months following JobsFest as a result of jobseekers moving into paid work and needing less financial support from the States. This saving exceeded the £138,000 that the JobsFest Employer Incentive cost over the eight weeks.
“Every person who took part in JobsFest was unemployed. Now, six months later, they are either in full time employment or have improved their CV and skills. It has successfully reduced the cost to the States and given jobseekers fresh inspiration,” Senator Le Gresley said.
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