Minister Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut has spoken out against a change in care for young unemployed people in the Federal Council. The job centers are the right point of contact for holistic family care.
In the Federal Council, Minister for Labor and the Economy, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, voiced her opposition to a change in care for young unemployed people. „With this draft law, the prospects of many young people in this country are at stake. Even though we have now received new signals and I am relieved that Federal Minister Heil is finally responding to the massive criticism from all sides, as of today, the draft of the Haushaltsfinanzierungsgesetz (PDF) still does not include the change in care for young unemployed people. The Minister’s announced change of course must also be followed by actions,“ said Hoffmeister-Kraut.
As Minister for Labor and the Economy, Hoffmeister-Kraut not only knows how urgently companies are looking for apprentices and employees, but also how important it is to give young people perspectives in the job market. Hoffmeister-Kraut emphasized, „We cannot afford to lose sight of young people through a misguided shift in responsibility. Our goal must remain to provide holistic support for families and bring them into employment.“ The job centers are the right point of contact for this. According to the plans of the federal government, young people up to the age of 25 in receipt of Bürgergeld (citizen’s income) should be removed from the proven and functioning help and support systems in the job centers.
Job centers must not be financially starved
The Minister expressed understanding for necessary austerity measures, but emphasized that they must not lead to politically wrong decisions. „I emphatically reject the federal government financially starving the job centers.“ She emphasized that it would also be unfair to transfer young people from the tax-financed Sozialgesetzbuch (SGB) II to the contribution-financed SGB III, as this would burden the unemployment insurance with a non-insurance benefit. „The contributors would pay the price for the federal government, and the Federal Employment Agency would be prevented from rebuilding necessary financial reserves,“ criticized Hoffmeister-Kraut.
Hoffmeister-Kraut reminded the responsible Federal Minister, Hubertus Heil, of the promise he made on the spot last year during the discussion on the introduction of Bürgergeld. At that time, Heil promised to adequately finance the job centers. „The opposite must not be the case. Otherwise, the federal government will be breaking its word.“
Overall, Minister Hoffmeister-Kraut is opposed to a change in care for young unemployed people and advocates for the job centers to remain as the holistic support system for families. She also emphasized the importance of ensuring that the job centers are adequately financed and not financially starved. The Minister called on the responsible Federal Minister, Hubertus Heil, to keep his promise and provide sufficient financial resources for the job centers.
