Working Paper 04/04: Barriers to Employment Among Long-Term Beneficiaries: A Review of Recent International Evidence
This working paper documents the recent international literature on the topic of potential barriers to employment among working-age beneficiaries, with a particular focus on long-term beneficiaries. The review provides a solid evidence base for policy analysis and answers the following questions:
- What are the key barriers to employment for beneficiaries?
- Which employment barriers apply particularly to long-term beneficiaries?
- How do these barriers vary by benefit type?
- How does the international literature on barriers interface with what we know about the barrier profile of long-term beneficiaries in New Zealand?
The key findings are that:
- long-term beneficiaries face multiple barriers to employment
- employment sustainability is a particular problem for those with multiple barriers
- long spells on-benefit may detrimentally affect beneficiaries’ employability, particularly for those who might otherwise have been employed
- barriers are often the result of an accumulation of negative life events that start in childhood
- a comprehensive understanding of the employment barriers faced by long-term beneficiaries requires attention to personal, family, community and institutional factors, as well as their interactions. A comprehensive approach to addressing these barriers requires a mix of services and individualised case management.
