As of: March 1, 2024, 10:47 a.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Four hours of work for 80 cents per hour: Asylum seekers should be obliged to work in Thuringia, according to District Administrator Christian Herrgott's idea.
Critics consider this to be populism.
Berlin - An initiative in Thuringia is sparking discussions across Germany: Christian Herrgott, CDU district administrator in the Saale-Orla district, wants to oblige asylum seekers to work.
According to the plan, refugees should do simple work for four hours a day, mainly in their shared accommodation.
There are 80 cents per hour for this.
If you refuse to work, you should face financial sanctions.
“It's obviously about giving the refugees a daily structure and preparing those who can work for the first job market,” says Herrgott.
He receives support from the state CDU.
Its chairman, Mario Voigt, tells
IPPEN.MEDIA
: “We have to send out the message: Anyone who experiences the solidarity of the community in Germany must also give something back.” At the same time, Herrgott’s policies in the Saale-Orla district are “a sign for them necessary limitation of immigration”.
Compulsory work for refugees: “Some rush, others do”
The advance in eastern Thuringia is also a signal in the election campaign at a supra-regional level: state elections are coming up in the state in a few months and the Union would like to position itself in particular against the AfD, which is currently the strongest force in surveys.
The Thuringian CDU state parliament member Beate Meißner commented on X (formerly Twitter): “Speaking of which, what is Germany's first AfD district administrator actually doing in Sonneberg?
Nothing but hot air: neither payment card nor work obligation for refugees!
Some rush, others do.”
“Christian Herrgott demonstrates the ability to act as district administrator”
All of this resonates when CDU state leader Christian Voigt emphasizes: “The CDU is moving forward and creating practical solutions.
If the traffic lights in the federal government and the Ramelow government in the state do not act, we will have to go our own way where we can.” He calls for the same determination that the CDU shows at the local level, also at the federal and state levels.
“Christian Herrgott demonstrates the ability to act as district administrator,” said Voigt.
Compulsory work for refugees
Requiring refugees to do community service complies with applicable law.
This is regulated in the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (Section 5 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1).
The second sentence has been new to the law since February 27, 2024.
It says: Refugees should be given job opportunities with state, municipal and non-profit organizations if the results of their work serve the general public.
Filiz Polat, migration expert for the Green Party parliamentary group, sees everything completely differently.
“It is absurd to demand that work be compulsory when many refugees are still banned from working,” she told our editorial team.
People with toleration status are not allowed to take up work in Germany.
This ban will only end once they are recognized as needing protection, which can take many months.
Asylum seekers from so-called safe countries of origin are generally not allowed to work in Germany.
Criticism of compulsory work for refugees: “Forcing people to do cheap work is populism” Compulsory work for refugees?
“Forcing people to do cheap work is populism”
Polat argues: “Forcing people who are not allowed to work to do cheap work is populism.
Instead of relying on more and more coercion, these work bans must urgently be abolished and paths through the labor market expanded into a permanent right to remain.”
This benefits everyone: “Those affected can take care of themselves and build a self-determined perspective, companies gain employees and receive planning security and the municipalities are relieved,” said the Green politician.
She describes it as “completely absurd” that Germany continues to condemn people who could earn their living to doing nothing.
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Polat is convinced that compulsory work does not promote the integration of refugees: “What promotes the integration of refugees is self-determined and properly paid work.” She believes that compulsory work at low wages is not effective.
“Municipalities already have the opportunity to offer such work opportunities and, for good reason, they practically do not use them,” said Polat.