Labour market integration: New rules for citizens’ allowance recipients

Policy with tougher Regulate to promote jobs for citizens’ allowance recipients

In a new political step, the regulations for citizens' allowance recipients are to be revised in order to integrate more people into the labor market. The aim is to maintain acceptance of the benefits and encourage those affected to take up employment. The principle of consideration is to be strengthened, according to a 31-page paper that was made available to the German Press Agency in Berlin.

One of the proposed changes concerns the reasonable commuting time for people receiving citizen's allowance. For people who work up to six hours a day, a commuting time of two and a half hours should be acceptable, while for people who work longer hours, a three-hour round trip must be accepted. The job centers are also encouraged to look for jobs within a 50-kilometer radius.

In order to strengthen cooperation between benefit recipients, the SPD, Greens and FDP are also planning to tighten the duty to cooperate. Anyone who refuses reasonable work or training without a valid reason must expect increased cuts in their citizen's allowance. The federal government is planning a uniform reduction of 30 percent for a period of three months.

Furthermore, sanctions are planned for recipients of citizen's allowance who engage in illegal work. Anyone who is available for the job market will be obliged to report personally to the authorities every month. Illegal work is considered a breach of duty and can lead to benefit cuts of 30 percent for three months.

Before receiving citizen's allowance, those affected must first use up their existing assets, although retirement savings are exempt from this rule. In addition, the government plans to increasingly assign one-euro jobs to people who repeatedly refuse to take part in measures to integrate them into the labor market. This step is intended to help integrate more people into the labor market and promote the independence of citizen's allowance recipients.