News

Outplacement for 10,269 people in first 10 months of 2010

In the first 10 months of 2010, VDAB registered 10,269 people who were following outplacement. This was shown by figures from the Flemish Minister Philip Muyters (N-VA – New Flemish alliance party). Under certain conditions, an employer is required to provide outplacement for redundant employees who are over the age of 45, and via an employment unit set up as a result of a company’s restructuring.

4,481 of these employees were aged 50 years and older, 3,740 between the ages of 40 and 50 years’ old. Just over half, 5,531 people, followed outplacement in the framework of an employment unit, of which 4,455 outplacements were funded by the employer, and 1,076 by the Social Intervention Fund. Of the employees who received outplacement support since 1 January 2010, 3,500 already have a new job. 640 have left unemployment in another way. (belga/sps)

24 January 2011, 6:53 p.m.
^{Source: Het Laatste Nieuws (the latest news)}

First CERTO certified outplacement agencies in Flanders

(publication date: 17 November 2010)
CERTO, the certification body for outplacement operations in Flanders, has granted its first certificates.

At present, 20 outplacement agencies* have already acquired the CERTO certification, 15 of whom are members of the Federgon professional association. The procedure has commenced for other outplacement agencies.

This new certification by CERTO forms a quality assurance for services in outplacement. CERTO has therefore developed a number of instruments, including a complaints procedure, satisfaction surveys, and proficiency testing for consultants with less than 3 years experience.

Federgon, which is a founder of the CERTO -initiative in cooperation with VDAB, emphasises that these certifications will certainly contribute to the quality of the support for dismissed employees.

More information: http://www.federgon.be/
^{Source: Hr Square News}
* including Select Human Resources

Outplacement peaks

In the third quarter of 2010, 5,235 outplacements were started. This is the highest number of outplacements started on a quarterly basis in 2010. Of these outplacements, 3,626 finally reached the finishing line. Federgon Outplacement announced this.
The share of compulsory outplacements via employment units in the third quarter of 2010 was significantly larger than in the previous quarters. Both the increase in the number of outplacements, and the share of outplacements through employment units is undoubtedly the result of two major restructurings at General Motors and Carrefour.

The placement rate with outplacements, after a decline in the second quarter, again achieved an increase in the third quarter of 2010. This increase applies both for individual outplacements and for outplacements via compulsory and non-compulsory employment units, by 55%, 57%, and 64% respectively. The recovery of the economy thus also showed itself in the placement figures for the outplacement industry.

^{Source: HR Square}