Nobody really likes to go: the way to the employment office
Image: dpa
If you don’t trust others, it’s difficult to empirically convince yourself of the opposite. This also applies, but perhaps not only, to employment offices when dealing with their clients.
VFew decades ago, in many welfare states, including Germany and Great Britain, the attitude of the employment offices towards their public changed. The official justifications for this new, “activating” type of job placement included not only the considerations of economists but also the politically powerful announcement that the slackers among the recipients of aid would finally put a stop to it.
Simply supporting the unemployed, according to the theory, harbors the danger that he will settle down in his supported situation, so to speak, and in order to prevent this, greater personal contribution must be demanded of him. Since then, parts of his support have only been revocable. In order not to endanger her, he has to prove that he has made an effort to get a job, for example by writing applications and, if necessary, taking part in job interviews. Also, he is expected to consider worse jobs as long as better ones aren’t available. If he refuses to make such concessions, he is threatened with cuts in benefits.