In the city of Essen in western Germany, there has been a proposal to mandate welfare recipients receiving the Bürgergeld (basic income) to engage in community work. The idea was put forward by Peter Renzel, the head of the Department for Social Affairs and Labor.
According to his proposed project, anyone receiving basic social welfare who is capable of working at least three hours a day should agree to take on community service work offered by the employment center (Jobcenter). This applies to asylum seekers as well. The only exception would be individuals already volunteering in charitable organizations. The proposal suggests an annual assessment of work capability for people under 65, including medical exams, possibly involving psychologists.
The author of the proposal believes that since welfare is funded by taxpayers’ money, it would be fair for capable recipients of Bürgergeld to “give back” to society in this way. The Minister of Social Affairs for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Essen is located, Karl-Josef Laumann, also criticized the existing welfare system, especially in light of the severe shortage of skilled workers in Germany.
However, the approach has its critics. Among the potential problems are low motivation for workers, the costs of their training, and increased bureaucracy, according to Bernd Fitzenberger, the head of the Nuremberg Institute for Labor Market and Employment Research.
