겐트시스템이 우리나라 자영업자 고용보험에 주는 시사점

Abstract

This study analyzed social safety nets for the self-employed in the Nordic countries of Denmark and Sweden. These countries operate voluntary- based unemployment insurance for the self-employed as well as unemployment assistance at the same time. The unemployment insurance system for the self-employed is developed and operated by the Union and thus there exist various types of unemployment insurance funds across the trade unions. Although the system is operated by the unions, it is controlled by the government regulation. The unemployment insurance operated by the unions is called ‘Ghent system.’ The unemployment benefits under Ghent system is mostly financed by the government budget which collected through the payroll taxes. Since the payroll taxes is collected from income, the unemployment insurance systems in the Nordic contries are designed as a measure of income redistribution. The tax rate is about 5-8%. Under the circumstances, the system has been characterized as lower insurance premium, generous eligibility criteria, and relatively higher participation rates. Like wage workers, the income of the self-employed is based on the amount of income reported to the tax office. The unemployment insurance systems in Denmark and Sweden are very favorable to the self-employed in the sense that the massive financial input financed from the government. On top of this generous insurance systems, these Nordic countries operates insurance assistance system as well. Thus the self-employed who end up the payment period of insurance benefits or who do not even participated in the system could be supported by the unemployment assistance system. Compared with these Nordic countries, the self-employed in Korea where most of them is not covered by the unemployment insurance and without unemployment assistance system is in blind spots when they go out of business. This paper suggests several policy implications to eliminate the blind spots.