Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2) - Morocco (RATIFICATION: 1960)

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The Committee notes the observations of the National Union of Labour in Morocco (UNTM) concerning the application of the Convention, which were sent with the Government’s report in August 2019. It also notes the Government’s reply contained in its 2019 report on the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), indicating that a specific component of the National Employment Promotion Plan (PNPE) 2017–21 has been devoted to improving the functioning of the labour market and conditions of work (governance of the labour market).

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Measures to combat unemployment. Employment agencies. Unemployment insurance. The Committee previously asked the Government to provide statistics and detailed information on trends in unemployment and the measures taken to combat it (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention). The Committee also asked the Government to provide information on the implementation of the Unemployment Benefit Act (Article 3 of the Convention). The Committee notes the detailed statistics provided by the Government which have been examined in relation to the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), particularly as regards trends in employment, which show a slight decrease in the unemployment rate from 10.2 per cent to 9.8 per cent for the period covered by the report. The Government indicates that Act 03-14 of 22 August 2014 amending and supplementing the Dahir issuing Act No. 1-72-184 of 27 July 1972 concerning the social security scheme came into force on 1 December 2014. It also indicates that severance pay, referred to in the last paragraph of section 53 of the Labour Code, derives from employer and worker contributions, which are 0.38 per cent and 0.19 per cent, respectively. The Government adds that unemployment benefit (IPE) is a benefit for persons insured with the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) who have lost their employment involuntarily and who meet the conditions of eligibility. Beneficiaries can receive IPE for a 6-month period. Moreover, they continue to benefit from compulsory health insurance (AMO) and family benefits during the period covered by IPE and are entitled to count the period of IPE coverage towards retirement insurance. In this regard, the Committee notes the statistics provided by the Government concerning the number of IPE applicants and beneficiaries for the 2015–18 period. It also notes that from the start of this operation until the end of 2018, the number of IPE beneficiaries totalled 47,193. The Government indicates that the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the measures taken to combat unemployment, and also the administration of IPE, are assigned to the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) and the CNSS. Under section 530 of the Labour Code, monitoring is entrusted to labour inspectorate employees belonging to the decentralized services of the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTIP). The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken to combat unemployment and provide up-to-date statistical data, disaggregated by sex, age and economic sector on the impact of these measures and the number of persons receiving unemployment benefit (IPE). The Committee also requests the Government to continue referring to its comments relating to the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122).

COVID-19. In the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Committee recalls the guidance provided by international labour standards. In this regard, the Committee would like to draw the Government’s attention to the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205), which provides guidelines for formulating and implementing measures that constitute an effective, consensual and inclusive response to the profound socio-economic impact of the pandemic. The Committee invites the Government to provide up-to-date information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of policies and programmes adopted with a view to reducing or preventing unemployment.

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The Committee notes the detailed information on trends in unemployment and on employment promotion programmes. In reply to the previous comments, the Government indicates that the Bill on Unemployment Benefit was adopted by the Government Council on 17 April 2014. The Bill will be examined by the Council of Ministers and forwarded to the legislative authorities. The adoption of the text will mean that effect can be given to the provisions of the Labour Code requiring the payment of unemployment benefit and the Government’s commitments in the framework of social dialogue (the agreement of 26 April 2011). The Committee requests the Government to continue referring to the comments that it makes on the application of Convention No. 122 and hopes that it will continue to provide statistics in its next report, as well as detailed indications concerning trends in unemployment and the measures taken to combat it (Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention). The Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position to announce in its next report the establishment of unemployment benefit and to provide the information required by the report form on this subject (Article 3).

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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government in its report received in August 2009. The Committee requests the Government to refer to the comments that it has made on the application of Convention No. 122 and it hopes that it will continue to provide detailed statistics in future reports, as well as any further information relating to trends in unemployment and the measures adopted to combat it.

Article 3. The Committee notes that a Bill on compensation for loss of employment, as envisaged in section 59 of the Labour Code, is under preparation following the consultation of the social partners. The Committee hopes that the Government will be in the position to announce the adoption of the Bill on compensation for loss of employment and will provide the information requested by the report form on this subject.

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The Committee notes the Government’s report and the information that it contains on the organization and operation of the National Agency for Employment Promotion and Skills. So that it is in a better position to assess the application of the Convention in practice, it would be grateful if the Government would also provide in its next report any statistical data available on jobseekers and vacancies registered and placements carried out by the Agency (Part V of the report form).

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The Committee notes the Government's detailed report.

Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. In its observation of December 1995, the Committee asked the Government to provide information on progress made in extending the competence of the regional labour commissions and in bringing about participation in their activities by all concerned parties, to enable them to fulfil the role of local bodies for vocational placement. The Government indicates in its report for the period ending in June 1998 that the public placement agencies no longer play an effective role in the management of the labour market. Efforts made by the public authorities to modernize these agencies have instead resulted in the establishment of a number of Employment Information and Guidance Centres (CIOPE) whose activities cover every aspect of employment throughout the country. An evaluation study of the public employment services is currently under way and the Government is planning to ratify the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181).

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide in its next report, general information on the working of the CIOPE, and information on measures taken to coordinate the activities of the public and private agencies with a view to combating unemployment.

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Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. In its former observation, the Committee noted the comments made in March 1991 by the Democratic Confederation of Labour and the General Union of Moroccan Workers alleging that the Higher Labour Council and the regional commissions provided for in the Royal Decree of 14 August 1967 did not exist and that the employment agencies played too limited a role on the labour market. It also noted the information supplied by the Government concerning the establishment of labour commissions in several areas in which there are employment agencies.

In its report, the Government states in reply to the Committee's comments that the Higher Labour Council has not met in recent years since several government meetings on employment have been held, but that a continuing social dialogue among all the social partners has led to the establishment of the National Council for Youth and the Future. The Government also indicates that the regional labour commissions are carrying out their activities under control of the competent regional authorities. The Committee notes the circular dated 12 December 1989 giving a new stimulus to the role of these commissions to promote employment. The Government also indicates that the Ministry of Labour, Traditional Industry and Social Affairs is presently carrying out a revision of the afore-mentioned Royal Decree with a view to extending the competence of the commissions and of participation of all concerned parties in their activities so that they fulfil the role of local bodies for vocational placement. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the developments relating to these points in its next report. Please indicate particularly how the above-mentioned regional commissions work in practice and how they are consulted in relation to the system of public employment agencies.

Specifically in relation to the intervention of these public employment agencies on the labour market, the Committee notes that according to the statistical data supplied by the Government in its last report their activity still seems rather limited. The Government indicates that a large programme for restructuring the employment agencies and promoting their role is planned. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to supply in its next report general indications on the working of the system of public employment agencies, as requested in the report form, as well as information on the follow-up given to the planned restructuring.

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Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government's report and the information supplied in reply to the comments made by the Democratic Confederation of Labour and by the General Union of Moroccan Workers on the application of the Convention. The allegations concerned the absence of labour commissions and of the higher labour council provided for by Royal Decree No. 319-66 of 14 August 1967, and the too limited role played by employment agencies on the labour market.

In its reply, the Government states that the labour commissions provided for by section 2 of the above Decree have been established in several areas in which there are employment agencies. During the period 1990-91, such commissions were established in 11 provinces. It adds that the Ministry of Employment, with the aim of giving a new stimulus to the activities of these commissions and to ensure that their actions are widely followed up, addressed circulars to the prefectoral employment delegates asking them to accord greater interest to the work of the labour commissions in order to ensure that they are an effective tool which can support the activities undertaken to promote employment.

While noting this information, the Committee requests the Government to state in its next report whether the higher labour council, provided for under section 4 of the above-mentioned Royal Decree, has also been established, and to state whether labour commissions have been established in each prefectoral jurisdiction or province, in accordance with section 1 of the above Decree. Please also supply a copy of the circulars sent to prefectoral employment delegates to which the Government refers in its report.

With regard to the activities of employment agencies on the labour market, the Committee notes from the Government's report that a fairly low proportion of the job vacancies created annually are channelled through the public employment services, since employers and workers prefer to deal directly with each other, without observing the employment legislation. As a consequence, the competent authorities are currently examining, in collaboration with the ILO and the Arab Labour Organization, the possibility of restructuring the public employment services and extending their scope, in order to adapt them to developments on the labour market. The Government also states in its report that it has created employment agencies for urban areas; that, with the aim of promoting the activities of public employment offices, information and guidance centres have been established and have begun to operate in Rabat and Casablanca; and that it is planned to extend such centres to all the regions of the country.

The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply in its next report general information on the working of the system of public employment agencies as requested in the report form. Please indicate, in particular, the number of employment agencies which have been created, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, and the number of persons placed in employment by such agencies.

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With reference to its general observation of 1991, the Committee has noted the observations made in March 1991 by the Democratic Confederation of Labour and the General Union of Moroccan Workers to the effect that the National Labour Council and the regional committees provided for by the Decree of 14 August 1967 in order to give advice on matters concerning the carrying on of public employment agencies, have not been established in practice. The above organisations also state that the public employment agencies participate in only 5 per cent of labour market placement activities. The Committee has also noted that these observations were transmitted to the Government in April 1991 for such comments as might be judged appropriate. It observes that no such comments have been received. The Committee recalls in this connection that Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention provides for the appointment of committees which shall include representatives of employers and workers to advise on matters concerning the carrying on of free public employment agencies. It would be grateful if, in its next report, the Government would indicate how the committees referred to in this Article are constituted and appointed in practice and what method is adopted for the choice of the employers' and workers' representatives. Please also give a general account of the working of the system of free public employment agencies, indicating in particular, in accordance with the report form, the number of employment agencies set up, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified and the number of persons placed in employment, by such agencies.

[The Government is asked to report in detail for the period ending 30 June 1992.]