The number of people registered as unemployed in Estonia was 30,919 in February, who made up 4.9 percent of the country's working-age population, the Unemployment Insurance Fund reported on Tuesday.
Estonia's registered unemployment climbs to 4.9 pct in February
10th March 2015, 12:28
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The head of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, Meelis Paavel, said that although in February the number of unemployed people continued to increase, compared to the same period in 2014 the number has declined by 15 percent.
The rate of registered joblessness was highest in the East-Viru and Valga counties at 10 percent and 9 percent, and lowest in the Harju and Tartu counties at respectively 3.5 percent and 3.9 percent. Craftsmen and skilled workers made up the biggest part of the registered jobless who had previously worked, accounting for 21 percent, followed by unskilled workers as well as service and sales personnel at 20 percent and 16 percent, respectively.
Recipients of the unemployment insurance benefit numbered 10,071, making up 29 percent of the registered jobless. The average benefit per calendar month was 389 euros and the sum total disbursed exceeded 3.4 million euros. The basic unemployment allowance of around 124 euros a month was paid to 8,044 persons, 23 percent of the total number of registered jobless.
The redundancy benefit was paid to 516 people in February and the average size of the benefit awarded in that month was 1,423 euros. The sum total paid out in redundancy benefits exceeded 853,000 euros. The benefit in case of insolvency of the employer was awarded to 115 persons during the month. The average size of the benefit was 2,106 euros and overall more than 141,000 euros was disbursed under that item.