Labor Minister highlights progress in labor formalization

Asuncion, IP Agency.- The Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Mónica Recalde, presented a detailed management report in which she highlighted progress in the labour and social security areas during the first year of government. This was in the framework of the meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired this Monday by the President of the Republic, Santiago Peña, in Mburuvicha Róga.

Recalde stressed that the number of people protected by the Social Security Institute (IPS) has increased significantly, from 704,000 to almost 740,000 people, which indirectly benefits approximately 80,000 families.

This increase in the formalization of employment resulted in a significant improvement in social security finances, with an increase of more than USD 50 million in IPS collections. These additional resources have allowed the institution to improve its benefits and attention, he emphasized.

The minister also highlighted the importance of formalizing labor, noting that thanks to a decree signed by President Peña, more than 13,000 companies that were previously not registered with the Ministry of Labor were regularized. She said that this contributed to the emergence and expansion of more than 10,000 new productive units, positively impacting job creation.

Labor supervision is also a central axis, incorporating more than 10,000 workers into Social Security through supervision processes, which allowed for a better measurement of the effectiveness of employment formalization.

Regarding the conflict resolution and social dialogue policy, Recalde stressed that during this government there were no strikes or stoppages, which reflects stability in labor-management relations. Through social dialogue, they negotiated more than 50 cases in the private sector, avoiding potential strikes and improving working conditions, he said.

The head of the Labor portfolio also described the EmpleaPy platform as a success, which registered more than 65,000 people looking for work, with 24,000 effective applications for 13,000 vacancies offered by the Public Employment Office. The level of effectiveness in job placement reached 55%.

In the area of ​​employability, Recalde highlighted the efforts in training and job training, with more than 110,000 direct beneficiaries and nearly 300,000 certifications issued in the first year of Government. These courses are focused on improving job qualifications, especially in technology and languages, areas in which a significant investment is planned for next year.

The minister concluded her report by highlighting that the formalization of employment is a main objective of her administration, and that it is essential to continue working on control, deterrence and incentives, especially aimed at micro and small businesses, to encourage the creation of more formal jobs in the country.

“The keys to finding a job where formal employment is our main objective are clear,” said Recalde. “We will continue to strive to guarantee a more inclusive and secure labor market for all Paraguayans.”