Current Situation and Problems of German Life Security System for Job Seekers and the Working Poor

Abstract

This article deals with the current situation, problems, and the prospect of the “Basic Support for Job Seekers”, a life security system for the long―term unemployed and the working poor in Germany.First, as to the income security, the “unemployment allowance II” assures recipients’ minimum standard of living. However, its amount is not sufficient.Second, job assistance and life support should be improved so that they can redeem the insufficiency of the unemployment allowance II. As to job assistance, the quality of personal assistants should be improved and their number should be increased. As to life support, the compulsory communal integration benefit should be put into practice.This article also examines the suggestions of the German system to the two similar Japanese life security system, the “Support System for Job Seekers” and the “Independent Support System for the Needy”, and points out the necessity of the permanent income support and the compulsory communal projects of job assistance and life support.