39. (Re)Integration of Unemployed Senior Workers in Germany – Challenges for the Interaction of Social Protection Schemes

This article deals with the occupational (re)integration of unemployed senior persons in Germany in its “multi-tiered system” of social security. In this system, the delivery of social benefits is effected via a number of social benefits providers. The professional (re-)integration of unemployed persons is primarily the task of employment promotion within the framework of unemployment insurance, otherwise unemployed persons are covered by the basic income support scheme for jobseekers. Statistically speaking, older unemployed persons are particularly often exposed to the risk of such a change of schemes. Moreover, the combined effects of old-age, (severe) disability and long-term unemployment further add to hampering successful integration in the labour market. Entitlements against various protection schemes have to be matched, and interaction between them is indispensable for the purpose of seamless and fast service provision.