Given the severity of the current economic downturn, a temporary reduction in the contributory history required to qualify for unemployment insurance would help prevent some youth from disconnecting from the labour market. Alternatively, the Greek government could extend the allowance paid to long-term unemployed youth without work experience to include the short-term unemployed and 16-19-year olds. If this were to occur, it should be matched by stricter job-search requirements backed by the threat of moderate benefit sanctions in order to avoid benefit dependency.