Reform of Marginal Employment. Statement of the IAB on the hearing of associations of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on the "Draft of a Second Act on Changes in the Area of Marginal Employment" on 7.2.2022

Abstract

"The German federal government plans to raise the upper wage threshold for marginal employment not subject to mandatory social security contributions for employees from currently 450 euros to 520 euros. Furthermore, the threshold will be adjusted in accordance with the development of the national minimum wage. The wage threshold for wages above marginal employment with reduced social security contributions is also raised from currently 1,300 to 1,600 euros in order to relieve low earners. At the same time, mini-jobs should be prevented from being misused as a substitute for regular employment or from becoming a part-time trap, especially for women. The IAB statement contains a fundamental assessment of the mini-job arrangement and then goes into details on parts of the draft bill: based on research findings, a reform to reduce mini-jobs rather than expand them could be justified, as they are associated with numerous disadvantages for employees. New regulations should rather aim to ensure that marginal employment is concentrated on those for whom employment subject to social security contributions would bring comparatively few advantages anyway (such as pupils, students, pensioners). Overall, it therefore seems questionable whether the reform goals will be achieved: The reform will make employment in the lower part-time sector and especially marginal employment more attractive compared to the Status quo. Linking the mini-job limit to the development of the minimum wage strengthens marginal employment and the problems associated with the mini-jobs are preserved." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Bruckmeier, K., Lietzmann, T., Walwei, U. & Wiemers, J. (2022): Reform der geringfügigen Beschäftigung. Stellungnahme des IAB zur Verbändeanhörung des Bundesministeriums für Arbeit und Soziales zum Entwurf eines Zweiten Gesetzes zu Änderungen im Bereich der geringfügigen Beschäftigung am 7.2.2022. (IAB-Stellungnahme 02/2022), Nürnberg, 12 p. DOI:10.48720/IAB.SN.2202