As of: April 8, 2024, 10:24 a.m
By: Max Schäfer
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Those who refuse to work can have their citizen's benefit completely canceled. However, according to a media report, the hurdles to this are high.
Nuremberg - Citizens' money is intended to ensure a humane minimum subsistence level for people in need of help. However, the debate is now raging about whether the requirements for those receiving social benefits are high enough. According to the tenor, no one should be fed without their own efforts. Anyone who can work should do so. There are now doubts about this – even within the federal government. Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner described citizens' money as an “unconditional basic income” and called for tougher action.
The federal government had created further opportunities to sanction total objectors. The job centers can completely cancel the standard rate for those who refuse to work for up to two months. This has been possible since March 28th if the recipients reject job offers that are considered reasonable twice within twelve months. Only the costs for housing and heating remain untouched.
Internal paper shows hurdles for the cancellation of citizens' benefits for those who refuse to work
However, there are further hurdles in implementing the citizen's money sanctions for total objectors. At least that's what comes from an internal directive from the Federal Employment Agency, which the
Bild
newspaper published. The implementation of the cancellation of citizens' money is hardly possible.
An internal document from the Federal Employment Agency shows the hurdles to the cancellation of citizens' benefits for those who refuse to work. (Symbolic photo) © Jens Kalaene/dpa
In addition to the two rejected reasonable job offers, the cancellation of citizen's benefit is only an option for people who have committed a breach of duty within the past twelve months and their benefits have already been reduced, reports
Bild
, citing the internal document. A breach of duty is, for example, termination of the job without reason.
Removal of citizens' benefits is not possible if a training place is refused - according to the Bild report
In addition, those affected would have to “willfully refuse to take up reasonable work” without an important reason.
Bild
cites
the rejection of a “specific employment contract” as an example. This must be a concrete job offer. The refusal of a training place and sponsored work as well as the refusal to apply or attend an interview were not included.
In addition, recipients of citizen's benefit must be informed of the consequences. If they don't show up at the job center, employees should visit them personally at home and advise them, writes
Bild
. (ms)