Hartz IV and Long-Covid: Those affected are entitled to this money

Created: 01/13/2022Updated: 01/13/2022, 9:52 am

By: Markus Hofstetter

Hartz IV recipients who become unable to work due to Long Covid can lose their entitlement to benefits.

But there are alternatives.

© Christoph Hardt / imago

Hartz IV recipients are exposed to an increased long-covid risk.

But what benefits are they entitled to if they are more employable due to possible long-term corona consequences?

An overview.

Munich - The world has been concerned with the coronavirus * for around two years.

And it's not over yet.

The Omikron variant is currently gaining ground, and other variants could follow.

The coronavirus particularly affects the poorer part of the population.

This is the result of a study by the Economic and Social Science Institute (WSI) * of the union-related Hans Böckler Foundation.

This is confirmed by an analysis by the AOK Rheinland / Hamburg, according to which Hartz IV recipients are exposed to an 84 percent higher risk than the average of ending up in hospital with corona disease.

The virologist Hendrik Streeck even explained * why a better social status reduces the corona risk.

Long-Covid: Hartz IV recipients are at greater risk

Anyone who has survived a corona infection can also suffer from so-called long covid.

These are the late or long-term health effects as a result of the disease, the symptoms of which can include fatigue or palpitations.

Long-Covid seems to be more common than assumed.

According to a Mainz study *, 40 percent of the study participants who were ill report long-covid symptoms.

So there is definitely the possibility that Hartz IV recipients are exposed to a higher risk of suffering from Long Covid.

But what does this mean for their entitlement to Hartz IV * or future citizen benefits *?

Hartz IV at Long-Covid: Limited entitlement

Basically, those affected are only entitled to benefits under SGB II if they are able to work.

For the Employment Agency *, those who can work at least three hours a day and are not

prevented from doing so for the foreseeable future due to illness or disability are considered to be able to work.

In the event of illness, it should generally be realistic to start working within six months.

However, if the medical service determines that an illness still results in incapacity for work after six months, the entitlement to Hartz IV * expires.

Because people unable to work have no independent claim to benefits under SGB II.

Disability pension at Long-Covid

The person concerned is requested by the job center * to apply for a disability pension instead of Hartz IV. However, the applicant must meet some requirements for this. You must have paid into the statutory pension insurance for at least five years. In addition, one must pay compulsory pension insurance contributions for at least three years in the last five years before the onset of the reduced earning capacity. It does not have to be a contiguous period of time.

If the conditions are met, the former Hartz IV recipient receives the disability pension * in full.

Because it has already been established that for health reasons he cannot work more than three hours a day.

By the way: If you can still work between three and six hours a day, the pension insurance only pays half a disability pension.

You are expected to find a part-time job. 

Long-Covid: Social welfare last resort

The amount of the disability pension depends on the individual pension entitlement.

The average payment of the full disability pension can provide an indication.

In 2019 this was 842 euros in the west and 882 euros per month in the east. 

If long-covid sufferers are still able to work three to six hours a day, they can claim a pension due to partial disability at the job center.

This is then credited to the Hartz IV standard rate *.

If a Hartz IV recipient does not meet the requirements for receiving a disability pension, for example the required minimum contribution years, he is dependent on social assistance.