The economist Monika Schnitzer argues that it is appropriate to require some recipients of social benefits to perform a social service. “A duty to volunteer work can be useful for those who receive basic security benefits and withdraw from the labour market in order to work secretly and profitably” she told the “Funke” newspapers in the Sunday edition. “In that case, it would be a good way to curb informal employment”.
Schnitzer, however, cautions that extending this instrument to all recipients of basic security would be counterproductive. “Unemployed people who are seriously searching for a job might find that a compulsory obligation actually hinders their entry into the regular labour market” she added as chair of the expert panel on the overall economic development.
Sven Schulze, the premier of Saxony‑Anhalt, has also proposed that social‑aid recipients in Germany should be obliged to provide a useful service, including community work. The CDU politician told the same “Funke” outlets: “People who receive state assistance should give back, even if that means volunteer work”. Schulze referred to the “citizen‑work” concept, which labour unions have criticized, and said the aim is to help long‑term unemployed people re‑enter the labour market through charitable activities. “We should re‑introduce this nationwide – and it should apply to everyone, to those born here as well as to migrants” he said.