New coalition gossip in the social field: reform plans for the care of young unemployed people are opposed by the Greens. The project is intended to relieve the budget of Minister of Labor Heil by 900 million euros.
The federal government’s reform plans for the future care of hundreds of thousands of young unemployed people have been rejected by the Green coalition partner. “The losers of this austerity measure would be the young people,” said the Green social politician Beate Müller-Gemmeke of the German Press Agency in Berlin.
Green labor market expert Frank Bsirske criticized the plans as completely ignoring the “considerable need for support” of those affected. That is why the social politicians of the Green Group rejected the plans of Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP).
Greens: Individual promotion of those affected suffers
It is about the project that young unemployed should no longer be looked after by the job centers – but by the employment agencies. The job centers look after the people who receive the citizen’s income. The employment agency is responsible, for example, if someone who previously paid into unemployment insurance becomes unemployed.
For the approximately 700,000 under-25s affected, the change would pay for unemployment insurance, according to a spokeswoman for the employment department. Instead, the corresponding budget of the labor department will be relieved, namely by around 900 million euros annually from tax revenue for basic security.
The Greens fear that the change planned for January 1, 2025 will affect the individual support of those affected. “While the work of the employment agencies is primarily about placement in training and work, the support of the job center goes far beyond that,” said Müller-Gemmeke. “The support is more intensive, and the employees are closer to the young people, but also to the family.”
Müller-Gemmeke also pointed out that improvements for the young unemployed only came about with the introduction of citizen income instead of the previous Hartz IV. These are endangered. It is about holistic care for the introduction to an apprenticeship.
Job centers criticize the plan
The spokeswoman for the Ministry of Labour, on the other hand, said: “With the planned transfer of people under the age of 25, the federal government is pursuing the goal of offering young people the services of active employment promotion uniformly and from a single source.” Services should be better coordinated. So far, the responsibilities of job centers and employment agencies have partially overlapped. Now the job centers should also be relieved, “which can then concentrate on the care, advice and placement of people from the age of 25”.
The change was initiated in August with the cabinet decision on the Budget Financing Act. The ministry spokeswoman announced: “The necessary adjustments to the specialist laws will be implemented promptly in a separate legislative project.” For the future care of young people by the employment agencies, costs then accrued in the contribution-financed budget of the Federal Employment Agency.
The 400 job centers had already criticized the plan. It represents “a radical system change and will have far-reaching social, organizational and personnel consequences,” according to the corresponding fire letter from the federal job center network.
“A daring venture”
Müller-Gemmeke said the change means more staff at the Federal Employment Agency and fewer at the job centers. “It is unclear how such a change in personnel can be implemented. In times of a shortage of skilled workers, this is a daring undertaking.”
The ministry spokeswoman emphasized that everyone involved is aware that the transition requires innovations in the structures and for the people working there. Heil’s ministry also refers to the planned introduction of basic child security. The associated innovations would have to be taken into account.
Müller-Gemmeke, on the other hand, emphasized that the introduction of basic child security was not a reason for the planned change: “Because basic child security is about financial benefits for children and young people, which should be designed to meet needs and be uncomplicated.” There is no connection to the active consulting services.
Source: Stern
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