Firms to be paid to take on long-term jobless

TheLocal.de ^ | 23 Nov 12 11:15 CET | (The Local/bk)

[Olog-hai]

German companies should receive a subsidy if they take on the long-term unemployed, state governments are set to propose on Friday. Up to 75 percent of the new salary should be paid by the state, if necessary for several years.

As many as 200,000 people across Germany could get a job via the new scheme, the Brandenburg Labor Ministry estimated. It is to present the idea—along with five other states—to the upper house of the German parliament on Friday, the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper reported. …

The proposal would see companies receive the wage subsidy if they employ someone who “cannot be found regular employment in the foreseeable future,” and who has been out of work for two years or more. If necessary, the subsidy would run for up to five years. The workers would be paid according to union tariffs, and receive a “location-typical” wage. (Brandenburg Labor Minister Gunter) Baaske also said people would not be forced to take the job. “It must be on a voluntary basis,” he said. “Only then can people be motivated.” …

[bert]

The best of the new jobs is telephone book reader. The job requires a chair, good light and any of several metro telephone books. Un like the job of telephone book copier, the reader position requires no quality control function nor expanses of paper or ink.