The G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting brings together labor and employment ministers from countries representing approximately 85 percent of the world's global economy to advise G20 Leaders on the most pressing labor challenges facing workers. The Ministerial also provides G20 Labor and Employment Ministers with a chance to review global labor market challenges, discuss ways to maintain and create jobs, and exchange information on successful policies and programs. The U.S. Department of Labor hosted the first G20 Labor and Employment Ministerial in April 2010. Since then, each G20 Presidency -- which rotates on an annual basis -- has hosted the G20 Labor and Employment Ministerial.
Under the direction of G20 Labor and Employment Ministers, the G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) meets several times prior to the Ministerial meeting to discuss current labor issues and challenges and to negotiate the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Declaration. To ensure transparency and accountability, each G20 country produces its own Employment Plan and Self-Reporting Template. This reporting mechanism allows governments to delineate their own countries’ labor and employment challenges and to describe the policies and programs in place to address those challenges. G20 countries must also report annually on progress towards meeting individual and collective G20 commitments.
Italy currently holds the G20 Presidency and will host the G20 Joint Education and Labor and Employment Ministerial on June 22 and the G20 Labor and Employment Ministerial on June 23 in Catania.
December 19-21, 2016: G20 Employment Working Group Meeting— Berlin, Germany
Labor and employment experts discussed addressing youth employment through quality apprenticeships and improving the quality of female employment, in particular earnings, labor market security, and working conditions.
July 12-13, 2016: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting — Beijing, China
The themes of the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting were generating adequate job opportunities, enhancing employability, and promoting decent work in G20 countries. Labor ministers agreed on a number of policy recommendations (see the Declaration) on enhancing employability, increasing sustainable wages, and promoting more equitable and sustainable social protection systems. They also adopted a G20 Initiative to Promote Quality Apprenticeships and a G20 Entrepreneurship Action Plan (annexed to the Declaration).
April 27-29, 2016: G20 Employment Working Group Meeting— Shanghai, China
Discussions focused on promoting income growth, advancing more equitable and sustainable social protection systems, and improving working conditions in G20 countries. An area of specific interest was an initiative on Quality Apprenticeships that proposed actions that countries can take, targets to measures progress, and steps to be taken to raise awareness about access to apprenticeship programs.
February 2-4, 2016: G20 Employment Working Group Meeting — Guangzhou, China
Officials discussed implementing pro-employment macroeconomic policies, addressing unemployment, in particular youth unemployment, boosting entrepreneurship, forecasting skill needs, enhancing the adaptability of workplaces, strengthening the effectiveness of vocational training, and updating the G20 Employment Plans and Self-Reporting Templates.
September 3-4, 2015: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting — Ankara, Turkey
The G20 Labor and Employment Ministers discussed the creation of more inclusive labor markets, increasing investments in human resources, and furthering program implementation through effective monitoring. The ministers also met with the G20 Finance Ministers at a Joint Ministerial Session of Labor and Finance Ministers, which focused on the need to address growing income inequality throughout the world.
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Read the Chair’s Statement on the Joint Meeting of G20 Finance and Labor Ministers
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Read the Joint Declaration of Intent with Spain’s Ministry of Employment and Social Security
September 10-11, 2014: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting — Melbourne, Australia
The theme of the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting was accelerating the pace of economic growth and creating jobs in the global economy. The G20 Labor and Employment Ministers adopted a G20 collective goal of reducing the gender gap in labor force participation by 25% by 2025. If achieved, more than 100 million women would enter the labor force.
July 18-19, 2013: G20 Labor and Employment and Joint Labor and Finance Ministers' Meetings — Moscow, Russia
The G20 Labor and Employment Ministers discussed job creation, policies and programs that enable vulnerable populations to enter the workforce, and how to effectively implement past commitments. They also met with the G20 Finance Ministers on the need to closely collaborate across ministries to foster sustainable economic growth that is inclusive of all workers.
- Read the Labor and Employment Ministers' Declaration
- Read the Joint Labor and Finance Ministers' Communique
May 17 - 18, 2012: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting — Guadalajara, Mexico
The G20 Labor and Employment Ministers discussed how to achieve quality employment for more of the world's population, create employment opportunities for young people and examine the prospects for employment in the emerging high growth sectors. Mexican President Felipe Calderon joined the meeting for the concluding session.
The Ministers' conclusions noted that employment rates have not yet returned to pre-crisis levels and that in some countries unemployment and the number of people in informal and precarious jobs continues to require ongoing attention. They noted the need to promote employment policies for youth and other vulnerable groups, agreed that green growth may be a source of job creation, and that the creation of quality jobs would contribute to poverty reduction and social inclusion. They called upon the G20 Leaders to strengthen the relationship between labor and finance ministers to address links between growth and employment.
September 26-27, 2011: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting — Paris, France
France hosted the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers in Paris. Ministers agreed upon a set of recommendations to Leaders on ways to boost employment, enhance social protection, better implement worker rights and develop improved policy coherence between national and international institutions.
April 20-21, 2010: G20 Labor and Employment Ministers' Meeting — Washington, DC
The U.S. Department of Labor hosted the first meeting of the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers. The ministers discussed the impact of the economic crisis on employment in their countries and shared results and insights from the wide variety of policies the countries have undertaken to preserve and create jobs, protect and assist the unemployed, and adapt to changes in labor markets.
Contact
Robert Shepard
(202) 693-4808
Shepard.Robert@dol.gov
Claudia Calderon
(202) 693-4814
Calderon.Claudia.V@dol.gov