Mützenich strives to secure an additional 1000-euro incentive.
In the government's cabinet, they've agreed to give a 1000-euro bonus to people who've been unemployed for a long time and manage to keep a job for at least a year. This decision is still under fire. Now, the SPD in the Bundestag has plenty of doubts about it.
SPD's parliamentary group leader, Rolf Mützenich, has brought up concerns about the proposed "get-back-to-work bonus" for long-term unemployed individuals after securing a job. According to Mützenich, as reported in the "Rheinische Post", the federal government believes that offering a 1000-euro financial boost could encourage long-term unemployed people to return to work. However, the SPD parliamentary group is highly skeptical about this idea. "We've got lots of queries regarding this concept," Mützenich shared.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck's idea of "paying 1000 euros to someone who would take a job anyway" doesn't sit well with an innate sense of fairness, argued the SPD politician. "Although some economists back this proposal, we need to scrutinize it closely to ensure that the rewards are just and effective," he pointed out.
Last week, the government decided to strengthen penalties for unemployment benefit recipients who refuse job offers. The so-called "get-back-to-work financing" is also part of these new regulations. People who have found work in a socially insured job for over 12 months could receive a one-time payment of 1000 euros, starting from January 1, 2025.
Already, criticism of this plan has emerged within the coalition. However, on Monday, a government spokesperson stood by the government's original plans. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD expressed doubts about the plans' effectiveness on Tuesday evening, stating, "It might not do any good, but it won't cause any harm either."
The SPD in the Bundestag continues to express doubts about the government's decision, as they believe that The Commission should closely scrutinize the proposal to offer a 1000-euro bonus to long-term unemployed individuals who secure a job. The effectivity and fairness of Economics Minister Robert Habeck's idea are under scrutiny by the SPD parliamentary group.
