As of: April 9, 2024, 5:10 a.m
By: Natascha Berger
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Pascal from “Hartz und Herzen” made the leap from citizen’s money into the world of work. But shortly afterwards he was fired.
Mannheim - A life at the subsistence level: Citizens' money is intended to help around 5.5 million people in Germany finance their own living expenses. Recipients are often confronted with many prejudices. This also applies to some of the protagonists of the social documentary “Hartz und cordial” on RTLZWEI. The show accompanies unemployed people in their everyday lives. While some prefer to continue living on citizen's money, others try to find a job. Pascal (22) once did - but after just four weeks in the new job, the well-known “hard and warm” face was fired.
The documentary team from “Hartz und Herzen” (
RTLZWEI
) always returns to a social hotspot in Mannheim, the so-called Benz barracks. Pascal, his sister Selina and their mother Petra also live in the former workers' settlement. Pascal has recently been a topic of conversation with his ambitions to get started as an influencer on TikTok. But not long before there was a termination that brought the recipient of the citizen's benefit a lot of ridicule, especially online.
Citizen's benefit recipient Pascal is terminated from his probationary period: boss saw him on social media despite reporting sick
At the end of 2023, Pascal announced on the show “Hartz und Herzen”: He has signed a contract with a temporary employment agency and will now work as a warehouse clerk. Instead of citizen's money, he now earns 1,800 euros gross per month. But after just four weeks in the new job, the then 21-year-old was having a lot of trouble at work. Despite reporting sick, his employer discovered Pascal on social media. “Then he said that I wasn’t that sick and that I shouldn’t lie to him,” says the citizen’s benefit recipient on “Hartz and Cordial”. Days later, the notice of termination arrived in the Mannheim family's mailbox.
Pascal from “Hartz und Herzen” was fired after four weeks in his new job. © RTLZWEI
Posting on social media while on sick leave should be treated with caution, according to the Greier law firm. A certified inability to work did not necessarily mean “that you have to stay at home in a closet”. Nevertheless, employees are obliged to refrain from doing anything that is not conducive to recovery. Photos of ski holidays or party pictures are common evidence in dismissal protection proceedings these days, warn the law firm's labor law experts.
Influencer instead of citizen's benefit recipient: After termination, “Hartz und cordial” Pascal takes off on TikTok
The RTLZWEI
broadcast
does not reveal exactly which contributions it was because of which the “Hartz und cordial” protagonist was fired during his probationary period.
One thing is clear, however: Despite the setback, Pascal didn't let himself get down.
Since the end of his short foray into the world of temporary work, the 22-year-old has been paying more attention to making his dream of being an influencer come true. In order to get away from citizen's money, he and his mother registered a business together. As of March 2024, Pascal already has 1.6 million likes and more than 150,000 followers on TikTok. However, if the big breakthrough on TikTok doesn't happen, Pascal would like to look for a new job again. Which he will hopefully keep for a little longer.
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(nbe)