In Lithuania, there is worrying unemployment: the two most vulnerable groups have been identified

“I’m not very optimistic because we have a K-shaped recovery where some sectors are already firm on both feet, sales and revenues are often above pre-crisis levels, and we have other sectors that don’t even see a light in the end. tunnel due to ongoing quarantine restrictions.

This will inevitably lead to employment in some sectors not returning to pre-crisis levels for a long time, perhaps even a few years. Due to the change in the economic structure, there will be sectors in which employment will never return to the level before the crisis ”, Ž. Mauricas.

According to him, during the pandemic, the unemployment rate, which in Lithuania, compared to other EU countries, was already one of the highest, increased even more, especially among the young and the elderly.

It’s true, Ž. According to Maurico, it would be more precise to follow the unemployment rate provided by the Department of Statistics, but it is also in two digits: 10%.

“Employment services [didesnio rodiklio] the reason is unemployment benefits and part of the population does not even think to look for work [joje] Check in. As a result, the number seems higher, “explained Luminor’s chief economist.

According to him, a big threat is that the double-digit number will remain all these years.

“The challenges are great and Lithuania will really have to work hard to reduce the unemployment rate. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the flexibility of the labor market so that people who have now lost their jobs can find it in other sectors”, Ž. Mauricas .

Otherwise, he said, there is a risk of facing two problems.

“Youth unemployment was even lower than the EU average before the crisis, now higher, and they are more likely to choose the path of emigration.

Another challenge is the employment of the elderly. A good example is the Lithuanian post, which announced in the fall that it would lay off several hundred employees. The reason was not a pandemic, nor a crisis, but automation.

Pandemic and led to automation, digitization, work from home, distance selling. All of these changes will inevitably lead to increased unemployment, ”Luminor Bank’s chief economist said on Delfi Day.