Applying for unemployment benefit
The unemployment benefit is a compensation benefit and is intended to partially replace the remuneration that employees cannot earn because of unemployment.
Your entitlement to unemployment benefit arises as soon as you meet the requirements for it for the first time.
How long you are entitled to unemployment benefit depends on the length of the insurance period in the last 5 years before your unemployment and on the age you reached when you became eligible. You are entitled to unemployment benefit for at least 6 months if you have been in an employment relationship subject to compulsory insurance for at least 12 months within the last 30 months. The maximum period of entitlement is
- for unemployed persons under 50 years of age: 12 months and provided that they have been insured for at least 24 months.
- for unemployed persons over 50 years of age: 24 months and provided that the unemployed person has reached the age of 58 and has completed periods of insurance of at least 48 months.
Your unemployment benefit is usually calculated on the basis of the average gross salary you earned in the last year before you became entitled to unemployment benefit. The amount is
- for unemployed persons with one child 67 percent,
- for the other unemployed 60 percent
of the gross remuneration less the statutory deductions normally accruing to employees.
While you receive unemployment benefits, you are generally covered by statutory health, nursing care and pension insurance. The contributions are borne by the Federal Employment Agency. If you were most recently exempt from compulsory insurance in pension insurance or health and long-term care insurance, the BA can usually partially cover the contributions for a private pension provision.
You are insured against accidents if you receive a special request to visit the Employment Agency or another body while receiving benefits.
Changes (such as illness, vacation, moving, taking up work) must be communicated immediately, preferably online. Alternatively, you can also make the notifications in writing, by telephone or in person.
Process flow
You can apply for unemployment benefits online or in person.
Apply for unemployment benefit online:
- To submit the application online, go to the online portal "eServices" of the Federal Employment Agency and click on the tile "Apply for unemployment benefit".
- Please note that even in this case, unemployment registration is required in order to receive unemployment benefits.
- The Employment Agency will check your entitlement to unemployment benefit.
- If your application documents or other reasons do not yet allow a final decision, the Employment Agency may grant you an advance on request, provided that you are entitled to benefits on the merits.
- You will receive a written notification by post confirming the granting of benefits, stating the amount and duration of your entitlement to unemployment benefit. You can also receive the notification online if you select the appropriate notification option in your online profile.
- The unemployment benefit will be transferred monthly and free of charge to the account specified by you. This means that the benefit for the current month is paid out at the end of the month. In the event of financial difficulties, this principle may be waived upon request. Check with your agency.
- In exceptional cases, you can have unemployment benefits paid out by cheque. You can submit the "payment instruction for offsetting" sent by post to your financial institution for credit within one month or have the amount paid out in cash to you (or a person commissioned by you) at any payment office of Deutsche Post or Deutsche Postbank. However, this incurs additional costs.
Apply for unemployment benefit in person:
- To apply in person, contact your local employment agency. You will usually receive the application form and, if applicable, other documents (so-called "additional sheets") when you register as unemployed in person.
- The Employment Agency will check your entitlement to unemployment benefit.
- If your application documents or other reasons do not yet allow a final decision, the Employment Agency may grant you an advance on request, provided that you are entitled to benefits on the merits.
- You will receive a written notification by post confirming the granting of benefits, stating the amount and duration of your entitlement to unemployment benefit. You can also receive the notification online if you select the appropriate notification option in your online profile.
- The unemployment benefit will be transferred monthly and free of charge to the account specified by you. This means that the benefit for the current month is paid out at the end of the month. In the event of financial difficulties, this principle may be waived upon request. Check with your agency.
- In exceptional cases, you can have unemployment benefits paid out by cheque. You can submit the "payment instruction for offsetting" sent by post to your financial institution for credit within one month or have the amount paid out in cash to you (or a person commissioned by you) at any payment office of Deutsche Post or Deutsche Postbank. However, this incurs additional costs.
Requirements
You are entitled to unemployment benefit if:
- You are unemployed, i.e.
- You are not in employment or
- they only work less than 15 hours a week, and
- They are available to the placement efforts of the Employment Agency. They are therefore able and willing to take up employment subject to compulsory insurance under normal labour market conditions;
- You
- electronically with an electronic proof of identity, for example identity card with online ID function, in the eServices portal of the Federal Employment Agency or
- have personally registered as unemployed with the competent employment agency. With your personal unemployment registration, the unemployment benefit is deemed to have been applied for. In addition, an application form must be completed;
- you have been subject to compulsory insurance for at least 12 months within the last 30 months prior to registering as unemployed (the so-called framework period).
- Periods in which you were subject to compulsory employment because of the receipt of compensation benefits, such as sickness benefit, or - under other conditions - for example because of the care of a relative or the upbringing of a child are also taken into account.
- Periods of compulsory insurance (so-called voluntary continued insurance) can also be taken into account as insurance periods, for example because you have taken up self-employment.
- In special cases, periods in which you performed development service in accordance with the Development Workers Act or when you worked abroad on the basis of a secondment contract are also taken into account.
Which documents are required?
- Identity card with current registration address
- Passport/replacement document in conjunction with a current registration certificate
- In the case of online unemployment registration: ID card with activated and activated online ID function
- Employment certificate (to be completed by the employer)
The Employment Agency may require additional documents, for example:
- Written notice
- Explanation of the work task
- Certificate of receipt of sickness benefit
- Certificate of additional income
- Proof (approval notice, proof of achievement) of a previous receipt of benefits (unemployment benefit, also at another employment agency)
- Proof of contribution (compulsory application insurance in unemployment insurance)
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
Unemployment benefit is considered applied for with the personal unemployment registration if you do not make another declaration. You avoid disadvantages if
- you register personally as unemployed on the 1st day of unemployment at the latest,
- you register as a jobseeker within the prescribed period and
- immediately notify you of any changes that may arise in your personal circumstances after the application has been submitted.
Legal basis
§§ 136 to 164 of Book III of the Social Code (SGB III)
§ 323 Third Book of the Social Code (SGB III)
Applications / forms
Forms available: Yes
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes
Appeal
- Contradiction. Further information on how to file an objection can be found in the notification of your application.
- Action before the Social Court
Technically approved by
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
Professionally released on
10.06.2022
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
