Federal Employment Agency and Local Governments Demand Increased Funding for Job Centers

Berlin In an unusual step, the Federal Employment Agency (BA), the district council and the German Association of Cities have demanded more money for the job center. “Additional tasks require more money,” said a joint statement on Thursday.

In view of the funds already reduced by the federal government in the budget for 2023, the job centers would have to reallocate more than half a billion euros from the funds for the integration of long-term unemployed to administrative costs. “This restricts the scope for active labor market policy even further,” criticize the authority and the two umbrella organizations.

In many places, the BA as well as cities, municipalities and rural districts jointly run the job centers, which are responsible for the basic income and the long-term unemployed.

The open criticism of politics should also target the ongoing preparation of the federal budget for 2024. The “problem is of fundamental importance and is therefore not only relevant for the 2023 budget, but must also be taken into account with a view to the coming financial years,” the statement said.