Suspension of the Hartz IV sanctions decided in the Bundestag: "Those who work hard will be stupid in the future"

Created: 05/28/2022, 04:52

By: Lisa Mayerhofer

The Bundestag passed the suspension of sanctions against Hartz IV recipients on Thursday evening.

But the criticism of the plans is great.

Berlin – The traffic light coalition wants to make life easier for Hartz IV recipients.

With the law passed late Thursday evening, there are sanctions for Hartz IV recipients only in the case of “extraordinary failure to register” – and then only at a level of ten percent instead of up to 30 percent of the salary.

Hartz IV and citizen's allowance: job center against suspension of sanctions

This means that anyone who misses an appointment at the job center must expect a corresponding deduction.

The refusal to accept a job, on the other hand, should no longer lead to a sanction.

The suspension of the Hartz IV sanctions, which should apply for one year, is the precursor to the citizens' allowance planned by the traffic light coalition, which is to replace the previous Hartz IV system in the coming year.

In the course of the citizens' allowance, which the SPD, Greens and FDP had agreed in their coalition agreement, the obligations of Hartz IV recipients to cooperate and possible future sanctions are then to be newly regulated.

Criticism of this measure comes from all corners: On the one hand, there is the Federal Employment Agency.

She "continues to take the view that reduction options should generally be provided, since these correspond to the legal principle of promoting and demanding", quoted the

in the statement of the Federal Agency for the hearing of the Bundestag. 

An employee of a job center put it a little more bluntly to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, who wished to remain anonymous: “This is a catastrophe.

If they have to take jobs or meet conditions in the future, then Hartz recipients will dance on our heads.”

CSU deputy Silke Launert expressed a similar view: “We fundamentally reject citizen income.

It sets false incentives and completely thwarts the principle of promoting and demanding.

The one who is diligent and sticks to the rules will be the fool in the future.

A promising household looks different!”

Hartz IV sanctions: "Social law is not criminal law"

However, criticism also comes from the parity welfare association, which, among other things, represents the interests of Hartz IV recipients.

There one finds the agreed extensive suspension of the Hartz IV sanctions "half-hearted and inconsistent".

The sanctions in the basic security would have to be completely abolished.

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The general manager of the Paritätischer Gesamtverband, Ulrich Schneider, said of the ongoing sanctions: “This type of cane pedagogy is inhumane and neither up-to-date nor effective.

Social law is not criminal law.'

They deserved support instead of sanctions.

A sanction-free, needs-based and humane basic security is needed, explained Schneider.

"So that the citizen's income does not also become a sham and just a repainted Hartz IV with a new name, really courageous reforms are needed." In addition to the suspension of the sanctions, a Hartz IV bonus was also decided as part of the 2022 relief package, reports the

.