Knowing that the Danish government has largely shut down their public sector – allowing the presential work only for those whose tasks are absolutely indispensable – our members from LGDK (Local Governments – Denmark) have shared some of their main challenges and concerns that emerged as a result of these measures.
They have been working in close cooperation with the government in order to efficiently put forward the necessary recommendations and/or decrees to deal with the ongoing crisis. Given the importance of reliable and consistent information, particularly under these fast-change circumstances, the LGDK has been constantly updating municipalities about the developments of the crisis management – both by bilateral interactions, as well as through their webpage.
Furthermore, they have stressed the main ongoing challenges that have emerged as a result of the latest actions to contain the COVID-19, those include the multiple adjustments necessary to guarantee an efficient system of teleworking, ensuring that the workers who are still required to physically attend their jobs are safe and have at their disposal a supporting net to make sure that they are able to do so, in the first place. Those last concerns are evidently largely connected to sectors such as health and elderly care.
Another challenging situation put forward by LGDK consists in the adaptations of the previously established requirements for jobseekers, which implies a whole adaptation of the criteria of coverage of their unemployment benefit system. Since a parcel of their workforce simply cannot carry on with their job searching under these circumstances, the system must be re-organized in order to properly address their situation.
LGDK has stated that there are multiple orientations to be followed and adjustments to be done and that they certainly impose difficulties, however, they are highly aware that much more is still likely to emerge soon. In this spirit, they have been mobilizing their efforts to properly adapt to the current scenario and efficiently deliver the support for their members at the national level, while also maintaining their exchanges at the European level.
Website: www.kl.dk/