Netherlands: Country Profile
True labour market exclusion across Europe — beyond the headline unemployment rate
Country Profile
Who Is Really Excluded from the Labour Market?
Officially Unemployed
Persons without work who are actively seeking employment and available to start within two weeks. Measured by the ILO Labour Force Survey definition. This is the figure reported as the headline unemployment rate.
Discouraged Workers
Persons available for work who have stopped actively seeking because they believe no suitable employment exists in their area or field. They want to work but have exited the official count. Captured in Eurostat's labour market slack measure as "persons not seeking but available."
Involuntary Part-Time
Persons working part-time who want to work more hours and are available to do so but cannot find full-time positions. Counted as employed in official statistics despite partial labour market attachment. Sometimes called underemployed part-time workers.
Disability & Sickness Benefits
Working-age persons (typically 18–64) receiving disability pensions or long-term sickness benefits. The largest hidden group in most European countries. Not counted as unemployed. A substantial share retain capacity for work with appropriate support — particularly those with mental health diagnoses, now the majority of new grants in Nordic countries.
In Practice
A real organisation putting this into practice.
A 750-member Dutch employer network making inclusive hiring the new normal since 2016
750+ member employers · operating since 2016 · spans SMEs to large corporates
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