Improving access to social protection for the self-employed
Many countries have taken extensive policy measures in an attempt to close the social protection gaps – especially for the self-employed – during the pandemic. They have arrived at a cross-roads and now is the time to pursue a ‘high road’ strategy towards universal social protection.
1 June 2022
The ILO participated in a High-level event organized by the European Commission on Improving access to social protection for the self-employed in the EU. “The COVID-19 pandemic exposed serious social protection gaps – especially for self-employed workers – and required urgent measures to close these gaps,” said Christina Behrendt, Head of the Social Policy Unit at the ILO Social Protection Department.
Existing social protection systems provided ‘automatic’ responses, and countries took emergency policy measures to close coverage and adequacy gaps, which took the form of one-off or short-term measures focussing in particular on workers who were previously not or not adequately protected. No less than 1888 social protection policy measures were announced in response to the pandemic.
Social protection has played a key role in the COVID-19 policy response as stabilizer to protect people’s health, jobs and incomes. “Countries now have a critical policy window for making the right choices regarding the future of their social protection systems,” said Ms Behrendt. “Now is the time to strengthen their systems and pursue a ‘high road’ strategy towards universal coverage and sustainably financed systems.
The Global call to action for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and the Resolution on social protection, which have been adopted by the International Labour Conference in 2021, provide policy orientations for achieving universal social protection. Countries can ensure adequate social protection for workers in all types of employment through a combination of contributory and non-contributory schemes: social insurance – especially if inclusive of part-time, temporary and self-employed workers, and tax-financed benefits, which play a key role in guaranteeing a social protection floor. Securing legal certainty for workers and employers, ensuring the correct classification of employment relationships is another important element for including self-employed workers in universal social protection systems. Such systems are adapted to changing needs and labour market mobility, as flexibility requires social security, she concluded.
Existing social protection systems provided ‘automatic’ responses, and countries took emergency policy measures to close coverage and adequacy gaps, which took the form of one-off or short-term measures focussing in particular on workers who were previously not or not adequately protected. No less than 1888 social protection policy measures were announced in response to the pandemic.
Social protection has played a key role in the COVID-19 policy response as stabilizer to protect people’s health, jobs and incomes. “Countries now have a critical policy window for making the right choices regarding the future of their social protection systems,” said Ms Behrendt. “Now is the time to strengthen their systems and pursue a ‘high road’ strategy towards universal coverage and sustainably financed systems.
The Global call to action for a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and the Resolution on social protection, which have been adopted by the International Labour Conference in 2021, provide policy orientations for achieving universal social protection. Countries can ensure adequate social protection for workers in all types of employment through a combination of contributory and non-contributory schemes: social insurance – especially if inclusive of part-time, temporary and self-employed workers, and tax-financed benefits, which play a key role in guaranteeing a social protection floor. Securing legal certainty for workers and employers, ensuring the correct classification of employment relationships is another important element for including self-employed workers in universal social protection systems. Such systems are adapted to changing needs and labour market mobility, as flexibility requires social security, she concluded.