Occupational Transitions and Corporate Responsibility in Layoffs: A European Research Project (SOCOSE)

One of the most prominent aspects of the present labour markets is an increase in occupational transitions. Employees experience insecurity to a much larger degree than ever before. Under these circumstances, the questions of blame and responsibility – for job-loss or unemployment –, so far much too readily focused on the individual, have to be re-considered. Transitions will also have to be framed by company based or labour administration interventions.This situation forms the entrance to the scientific evaluation that is central to the SOCOSE project. It aims at the formulation of an integrated European model for outplacement/replacement counselling. Thus, transparency will be added to the process of dismissal from the perspective of the individual employees, and they are assisted in re-entering the labour market at an early stage. This form of guidance will prevent long-term unemployment or might else prevent unemployment completely.The SOCOSE project started with a European comparison of existing outplacement interventions. The main focus, however, is the perspective of the individual that has been dismissed or is facing possible dismissal and his or her evaluation of this process. Crucial to this evaluation is the aspect of justice or fairness.First Results of this comparison across countries are presented, and the ongoing empirical studies are outlined on the basis of an exemplary case.