Caseworker Behavior and Clients' Employability

How do unemployed people become employed? This is a key question that researchers have tried to answer for years. Studies show that the transition from being unemployed to become employed depends on factors such as the unemployed individuals’ personal background characteristics, previous work experience, economic environment, and rules and restrictions with respect to active labor market policies. A few studies show that organizational structures and managerial organization within the unemployment offices also influence the employability of unemployed clients. But until now, no studies have empirically looked at the link between caseworker behavior and clients’ employability. A very rich survey dataset on caseworker behavior combined with informative panel data on the caseworker’s client—the unemployed—makes it possible to study the link between caseworker behavior and clients’ job possibilities. Results show that there is a relationship between caseworker behavior and employment among the unemployed. Especially the employability among the insured unemployed is related to the concepts of coping, and professional distance.