Economist Jens Südekum Dismisses Proposal to Eliminate Benefits for Job Refusers
A prominent economist has rejected a proposal to completely eliminate benefits for individuals who refuse to work, citing the German Federal Constitutional Court’s strict limits on cuts to benefits. Jens Südekum, an economic advisor to the German Federal Minister of Finance, Lars Klingbeil, told the Rheinische Post that the court has set narrow boundaries on benefit reductions.
Moreover, Südekum emphasized that the number of total job refusers is relatively small, making the proposal’s financial impact minimal. The proposal, put forward by Carsten Linnemann, the CDU’s general secretary, aimed to permanently cut off benefits for those who persistently refuse to work.
In a landmark 2019 ruling, the German Federal Constitutional Court declared that sanctions of 60 or 100 percent of the unemployment benefits II were disproportionate, citing the inherent dignity of humans and the social welfare principle. The court, however, allowed for temporary sanctions of up to 30 percent to remain in place.