Sergipe is the 2nd state in the Northeast in terms of the rate of economically active people.

ASN - The Sergipe Observatory released a technical note this Wednesday, the 25th, addressing the Labor Dimension, based on indicators from the Human Development Atlas for Brazil. The reader will find information on the main indicators of labor development in Sergipe, using the results of the 2000 and 2010 Demographic Censuses. The Atlas was prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea) and the João Pinheiro Foundation.

"This dimension addresses aspects related to the unemployment rate, degree of formalization, level of activity, level of education of workers in Sergipe, labor income, inequality in income distribution (Theil-L index), and types of occupations that employ the most people in the state," explains Marcel Resende, Superintendent of Studies and Research at the State Secretariat of Planning, Budget and Management (Seplag).

The superintendent explains that, in relation to some aspects of the employment dimension, Sergipe has stood out considerably in recent years. "The economic growth experienced in the last decade has contributed to a large increase in opportunities for professional insertion for workers in Sergipe. From 2001 to 2011, more than 167 new formal jobs were created, according to data from the Annual Social Information Report (RAIS) of the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE)," he says.

The activity rate is the portion of the population that represents people aged 18 or older who are working or seeking employment. A high activity rate means a greater number of people producing for the state and integrated into the productive system. In Sergipe, the rate of economically active people reached 64%, the second highest in the Northeast region. The expansion of the working-age population indicates a good opportunity for the state's economic development.

Another extremely important indicator is the 16% drop in the activity rate of young people aged 10 to 14, which signifies a significant reduction in child labor in Sergipe over the last decade. Today, the state has the second lowest rate in the Northeast (7,5%). The drop in the child activity rate was accompanied by an increase in the number of young people attending school and a decrease in illiteracy. The index that measures the school attendance rate of the young population grew by 69,4% in 10 years. In 2010, the percentage of young people aged 11 to 13 in the final years of primary school was 79,7%, an increase of 119% compared to 2000. Meanwhile, the illiteracy rate among young people aged 11 to 14 fell by 48% in the last decade, according to the UNDP.

The increase in the number of jobs was accompanied by a qualitative improvement in employment, with the creation of opportunities with formal contracts. With a rate of 47%, Sergipe is the second state with the highest rate of formalization in the Northeast region. Regarding the percentage of employees without formal contracts, the state has registered a decline in the last decade, reaching a percentage of 24%, although still high, it is the lowest rate in the Northeast region. This formalization contributes to increased social protection, guaranteeing Sergipe workers unemployment insurance, minimum wage, maternity leave, FGTS (Brazilian severance pay fund), retirement, among other benefits.

"The average income of employed people, whether formally or informally, reached R$ 924,73, in 2010 values. This value is the third highest income in the Northeast, slightly below Rio Grande do Norte (R$ 979,96) and Pernambuco (R$ 934,48). Another relevant piece of data is the 44% decrease in employed people in Sergipe earning up to one minimum wage per month. This information is very positive because it shows an increase in the income of Sergipe workers in the last decade, due to more people receiving remuneration above the minimum wage," details Marcel Resende.

Photo: Alejandro Zambrana