The Pillar states the right to adequate support for people in unemployment from public employment services. Such support is based on assessment, counselling and guidance for job search and more broadly for career decisions.

Furthermore, the Pillar provides that the unemployed shall have a right to adequate unemployment cash benefits of reasonable duration. The Pillar requires an adequate level of benefits, as in relation to the income replaced. The replacement level should maintain incentives for a quick return to work. Provision of the benefit should be of reasonable duration: it is important to allow sufficient time to find a job matching the skills of the jobseeker, and to avoid negative incentives discouraging job-seeking. Notwithstanding, the benefits should be in line with the contributions and respect national eligibility rules.

The provision covers all unemployed, including those with short employment records and those who were formerly self-employed. Its material scope covers both contributory and non-contributory unemployment cash benefits, as well as unemployment assistance.

Commission Recommendation of 3 October 2008 on the active inclusion of people excluded from the labour market already provides guidance to continually review the incentives and disincentives to work resulting from tax and benefit systems. As a new development, the Pillar requires that such incentives be built into the design of unemployment benefit schemes. Moreover, it links the unemployment benefits to the support of public employment services.

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