Implementation analysis of § 16e SGB II in North Rhine-Westphalia I : Modes of adaption and realization of "JobPerspektiv"

Abstract

"In the fall of 2007 a law marking a novelty in German labour market politics, § 16e SGB II, was passed: for the first time a potentially open-ended wage subsidy covering up to 75 % of the gross wage could be allowed to companies for the employment of a longterm unemployed person with multiple obstacles to placement. The law's passing was based on the observation that in spite of improved labour market conditions a relevant share of the longterm unemployed still lacked a realistic chance of integration into the first labour market even in a medium-term perspective. The present publication presents results from an implementation study examining regional variations in the implementation of the programme and the underlying causes. The study has been conducted in jobcentres in charge of the longterm unemployed of the federal state of north rhine westfalia. At first, the law's background in labour market and social politics is outlined as well as the policy formation process and the central governance impulses on the federal and state level in north rhine westfalia. Based on the theoretical framework of the actor-centred institutionalism a typology covering four distinct types of regional implementation strategies at the level of regional jobcentres is presented in the empirical part. This covers on the one hand varying modes of the law's interpretation and appropriation at the executive level of the regional jobcentres and on the other hand the partially thereby caused differences in the institutional arrangements made regarding the service process of the implementation of § 16e SGB II." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Bauer, F., Franzmann, M., Fuchs, P. & Jung, M. (2011): Implementationsanalyse zu § 16e SGB II in Nordrhein-Westfalen I. Aneignungsweisen und Umsetzungsformen der "JobPerspektive". (IAB-Regional. Berichte und Analysen aus dem Regionalen Forschungsnetz. IAB Nordrhein-Westfalen 01/2011), Nürnberg, 45 p.