The following Guidelines are organized in seven parts:

Part A, Basic Principles, incorporates six guidelines and provides guidance on the identification of stakeholders, the legal basis of the programme for return to work after unemployment, and the need to refer to international good practice. It also deals with the evaluation of policies, programmes and services, cooperation and partnerships, and stakeholder accountability.

Part B, Prevention, incorporates ten guidelines that deal with good practice in preventive measures to avoid unemployment: helping young people transition successfully from school to work, facilitating the integration of first-time job seekers, facilitating the integration of immigrant workers and their families, promoting the continued employment of older workers, anticipating the needs of the labour market, encouraging continuing training, identifying and supporting workers at risk, promoting equal opportunities for better work-life balance, temporarily adopting flexible working arrangements to avoid lay-offs, and anticipating the need for support in the event of announced lay-offs.

Part C, Information on Benefits, incorporates two guidelines that deal with information, simplification of procedures and the accountability of stakeholders.

Part D, Support, incorporates six guidelines relating to the identification of the profile and needs of the unemployed, orientation and support of the unemployed, tailored measures for vulnerable unemployed, the role of vocational counsellors, cooperation with and provision of services to employers, and cooperation with other actors offering support or training services.

Part E, Benefits, incorporates three guidelines and deals with adequacy of benefits, benefit delivery and incentives for reintegration.

Part F, Labour Market and Employment Policies, consists of five guidelines on stimulating labour demand, measures to promote and facilitate formal employment, developing labour supply, promoting flexibility and security, and recognition of foreign qualifications.

Part G, Responding to new labour market challenges, includes four guidelines on increasing labour market participation, preparing enterprises and workers for the transformation of jobs, regulating new forms of work and adapting social protection schemes, and increasing the resilience of labour market systems and institutions.

Within each part, the guidelines are presented as follows:

Guideline. The guideline is defined and stated as clearly as possible.

Structure. Suggested structures to facilitate entry into employment, worker retention, return to work after unemployment and sustainable employability. These are a prerequisite for the understanding and implementation of the corresponding guideline.

Mechanism. A guideline may be implemented in different ways. The mechanisms proposed for the application of each guideline on the promotion of sustainable employment are a synthesis of best practices observed in these areas.