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“Hartz und cordial” Pascal tries to stabilize his financial situation with a mini-job – but a conversation with the job center brings him back to reality.
Mannheim – The popular RTLZWEI documentary “Hartz und Herzen” shows the everyday lives of people who live on the edge of the financial subsistence level and have to receive citizen’s benefit or are dependent on other forms of state aid.
Strokes of fate, heartbreak, money worries, criminal acts, bureaucratic hurdles – thousands of viewers watch how the protagonists cope with their everyday lives. Unemployment and money problems in particular often cause participants to despair.
Pascal grew up in the Benz barracks in Mannheim and knows these problems only too well. In the social documentary, the 23-year-old repeatedly struggles with financial difficulties. Because of one incorrect information at the job center The money was recently cut off for him and his mother Beate. But there is light at the end of the tunnel again: Pascal was able to get a mini-job with a driving service.
Pascal grew up in the Benz barracks – a mini-job gives him hope. © RTLZWEI / UFA SHOW & FACTUAL
Pascal has to be patient – the job center cannot yet process the citizen’s benefit application
In the new episode (Season 9, Episode 39) of “Hartz und Herzen” Pascal, who has been heavily in debt in recent years, can finally regain hope. He will start his mini-job shortly. But in order to make ends meet, the 23-year-old hopes to also be entitled to citizen’s benefit. Since he doesn’t know whether his future income will have an impact on his application, he calls his clerk at the job center.
But the information Pascal receives is anything but pleasant for him. Since no working hours have been specified in the employment contract and the future boss cannot yet give a fixed number of hours, we should first wait for the first pay slip in order to be able to finally decide whether his employment contract offers a performance basis.
Contrary to many prejudices, some recipients of citizens’ benefit want to work in the social sector. Pascal has felt this way before, despite his disability trying for a job. His mother Beate also had a mini-job as a cleaner.
“Hartz and cordial” protagonist outraged: “Then I’ll ruin myself even more.”
Pascal is angry about his clerk’s decision. “I could get really upset right now. It’s just a mini-job or just as a temporary worker, but if I earn less money anyway, why am I still not included in the benefits? I don’t understand that,” Pascal says angrily. “If the money I earn is then credited to me in addition, what am I still working for?”
He vents his anger to his mother Beate. This initially reinforces his belief that he is entitled to something. “You have a right to live.” But after speaking to the clerk herself, she has mixed feelings about the office’s decision. “She’s right in some ways, but on the other hand he’s trying to do something now,” says mother Beate. In principle she thinks it’s good that her son is trying it, but it’s actually really not enough. She advises her son to go to school alongside his mini-job. This causes Pascal to be outraged: “That doesn’t make any sense. Then I’ll ruin myself even more,” says the 23-year-old angrily. Another “Hartz and cordial” participant can do hers Not paying job center debts and has to sell her possessions.
Receipt of benefits for citizens’ benefit is linked to certain conditions
“Citizens’ money ensures a humane subsistence level for all those who cannot cover their living expenses from their own income and assets,” writes Das Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Citizens’ money also supports young people in very different situations.
Since Pascal is currently neither going to school nor working or taking part in Job Plus, he is not receiving benefits because he “does not meet the requirements for people under 25 to receive money from the job center,” explained the clerk at the job center Phone call. (vw)
