Entitlement to participate in courses to promote self-employment upon fulfillment of the contribution period through childcare time

Facts

[B.], born in 1951, worked as an analyst/programmer until 1993 and then was self-employed. In the spring of 1994, he gave up this position to devote himself to the upbringing of his four children. On May 21, 1999, he registered to receive benefits from the unemployment insurance and submitted requests for approval to attend two courses: "Internet Publisher" and "Self-Employment, Introductory Course". These requests were rejected by the Office for Economy and Labor of the Canton of Aargau (AWA).

[B.] filed appeals against the decisions of the AWA, which were dismissed by the Insurance Court of the Canton of Aargau. Thereupon, [B.] filed administrative court appeals against the decisions of the Insurance Court.

Considerations

The Federal Supreme Court reached the following conclusion

a) The "Internet Publisher" course constitutes a labor market measure pursuant to Art. 60 AVIG, as it was specifically designed for the unemployed and allows the insured person to adapt to technological progress in order to end the unemployment as quickly as possible.

b) The "Self-Employment, Introductory Course" also falls under Art. 60 AVIG, as these introductory courses do not yet have the direct promotion of…