The Minister of Labour wants to change the rules for unemployment benefits

unemploymentOslo: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Anniken Hauglie ( Conservative Party ) Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Anniken Hauglie wants more people to study while receiving benefits from Nav.

Current regulations means that  it is generally not possible to get an education  while claiming unemployment benefits.

– The regulations are too rigid  and we  now want to improve them  in order to clear away some of their more unreasonable aspects, Hauglie says to the newspaper Dagbladet.

– Particularly in the oil industry, we now see that many are laid off  or unemployed, and it is  now particularily important that those who  choose take action and educate themselves  in order to return to work as fast as possible, are not prevented in doing so, but encouraged instead, she adds.

The proposal she put forward Friday contains three specific changes; two regulatory amendments and one bill: The terms of what can be regarded as training adapted to full employment, will be adjusted so that education / study gatherings at least six days per semester are allowed. The possibility of continuing education that started before a person become unemployed or laid off will be expanded, and the right to receive unemployment benefits during the creation of their own business  is expanded from the current nine months to twelve months.
SOURCE: NTB scanpix / Norway Today