Istota i funkcje instytucji pośrednictwa pracy

Abstract

Numerous institutions dealing with providing assistance for job seekers could be distinguished in practice. They differ with regard to goals being accomplished by them and ways of their organization. Some of them have a character of voluntary associations, others are organs of the state administration, and still others are typical commercial institutions. The analysis in this article is focused on distict employment agencies. This does not mean that only they should act as middlemen between an employer and an employee, and this solve the main problems of the labour market. At the time of growing disproportions between labour demand and supply there is also a demand for other institutions, which could satisfy needs of employers and jobless persons by means of different methods and measures, and which simultaneously could assist general employment agencies. In our opinion, district employment agencies are today the main institution able to provide assistance for the unemployed. That ensues directly from the goal of their activity which is ensuring appropriate jobs for people and employees for work establishments and from functions realized by them, i.e. informative, advisory, correctional, interventional, and welfare functions. The last of them predominantes in all employment agencies and, consequently, it does not allow them to conduct active forms ol job placements. Through accomplishing the welfare function an employment agency becomes an institutions of protective type. The article discusses also solutions adopted in the Western countries in the field of job placement. The Polish employment agencies could benefit from adopting some solutions of these countries. However, adopting such solutions there should be remembered different organizational, technical and personnel conditions of Polish employment agencies, which pose a barrier to the remodelling of such institutions in Poland.