Particular attention is paid to the impact on labour market integration, employability and social inclusion. Research covers advisory, support and placement processes, earnings replacement benefits and the support instruments of labour market policy, including vocational preparation schemes, publicly funded employment, continuing professional development (CPD) and assistance with integration. The analyses take into account gender aspects, current social developments and labour market policy reforms. They look at benefit recipients and unemployed or employed people as individuals while also considering their respective family situations.
In this context, the IAB also looks into how key players act and interact, such as job centres, benefit recipients, companies, employment agencies and the staff who work there, and the institutions tasked with providing supporting measures. The research is based on the quantitative analysis of process and survey data (field experiments and non-experimental, econometric impact analyses) and on qualitative analyses (non-standardised surveys, participant observations). While quantitative research primarily determines the impact of various instruments, qualitative research investigates the implementation of labour market policy and the mechanisms through which it takes effect.
In the context of the German Social Code (SGB III), the focus area will take a closer look at the consequences of short-time working for the first time in 2025. This will include analysing whether the labour market opportunities for people who were previously part of a short-time working scheme are different to those for similar people in similar companies that did not make use of such schemes. There will also be research into the effects of unemployment benefit on older workers. Beyond the context of SGB III, the focus area will examine the extent to which CPD benefits/bonuses available to unemployed people can influence whether they take up CPD that leads to a qualification.
Research relating to SGB II will increasingly focus on analysing citizen’s benefit reforms in 2025. Further findings regarding the implementation of citizen’s benefit reforms are due to be presented too. For example, survey results will show how people able to work who are entitled to benefits perceive their cooperation plans, including in comparison with integration agreements. More findings on benefit cuts will be unveiled, especially with regard to which groups of people able to work who are entitled to benefits are particularly affected by the new section 31a (7) SGB II and what role it plays – in the view of integration specialists – in the work of the job centres. Another area of research will be the impact of initiatives to help refugees into work.
Activities
Departments
- Staff Unit Research Coordination
- Research Department Active Labour Market Policies and Integration
- Research Department Basic Income Support and Activation
- Research Department Education, Training, and Employment Over the Life Course
- Research Department Regional Research Network
- Working Group Gender Studies
- Working Group Further Training
Contact
