Abstract
The Employee Insurance Agency Netherlands and ministry of Social Affairs agreed to run an RCT to investigate (A) the effectiveness of search requirements in UI and (B) the effectiveness of an alternative approach to search requirements, i.e. in which there are more possibilities for non-standard requirements.
To that aim, individuals who flow into UI from january (27th) 2025 are divided in three research groups:
(1) a group without search requirements
(2) a group with 'individualized' search requirements
(3) a control group/status quo
Eventually, over 100.000 UI recipients will be included in the experiment.
The 'standard' search requirement in the Netherlands is to do 4 activities that increase the job finding probability every 4 weeks.
The group without search requirements has an exemption from this 'standard' search requirement. They also has an exemption from the requirement to 'accept suitable jobs'. The Employee Insurance Agency keeps actively offering all services including conversations with the caseworker and ALMP's. However, those in group (1) are not required to accept these services.
The group with 'individualized' search requirements are requested to fill in a 'personal plan' before their first conversation with the caseworker. The plan is designed to stimulate a learning-goal orientation (as opposed to the traditional goal oriented search requirements). The caseworkers are also trained to stimulate the learning-goal orientation of the unemployed workers in this research group. Another element of the treatment in this group is that all UI-recipients have an early first conversation with the caseworker (within the first two months of unemployment). For the status quo, this is not always the case. Early contact is necessary in order to set individualized requirements and set up the 'personal plan'.
Individuals flowing into UI are informed per electronic message and thereafter per letter about the experiment. If they do not wish to be in one of the research groups (1 and 2), they can transfer to the control group within a month of receiving the letter. Ie there is an op-out decision.
The results of the experiment will be evaluated by two external research parties. They will focus on various outcomes: not only UI-duration and labor participation, but also the experiences of UI-recipients and employees/caseworkers.