Definition: Unemployed are defined as all people under the age of 65 out of work or working less than 15 hours per week, not being pupils or students or taking part in vocational training schemes. Further excluded are people having been employed only for a short time, people who are permanently unable to work due to illness or disability, or people who are receiving retirement payments. Unemployed persons must be availabel for work immediatly and have to register at the local unemployment office (Arbeistagentur) or responsible SGB II office. There are two unemployment rates: - unemployed people as percentage of all employed persons (alle Erwerbstätigen) (i.e. socially secured employees, civil servants, self-employed, family workers, unemployed).
- unemployed people as percentage of all dependent employees (abhängig Beschäftigte) (i.e. socially secured employees, civil servants, unemployed).
Due to a legal act in 2005 the base of unemployed persons has changed, now including persons receiving social benefit, who are able to work. As a result of this change in the statisctics the absolute number and unemployment rate increased noticeable just by this alteration. Data: average annual values Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit |