Wages are not enough to live on: Corona heroes rely on Hartz IV

Wages are not enough to live on
Corona heroes rely on Hartz IV

Despite employment, thousands of workers in systemically important occupations are dependent on additional money from the state. Above all, deliverers, salespeople and caregivers have to increase their wages in the pandemic. “That is the height of hypocrisy,” criticized left parliamentary group leader Bartsch.

The number of employees who top their wages with supplementary benefits from unemployment benefit II (Hartz IV) remains high. In December 2020, around 476,000 workers were entitled to unemployment benefit payments, according to a government response to a question from left parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch. As reported by the Funke newspapers, the proportion of top-ups among all employees fell from 1.6 percent in 2019 (520,128 gainfully employed beneficiaries) to 1.4 percent in 2020.

According to the answer from the Federal Ministry of Labor, however, the proportion of top-ups in many systemically relevant professions remains high. In December 2020, a total of 10,862 employees in geriatric care and 8249 employees in health and nursing, emergency services and obstetrics had to increase. There were 44,258 employees in warehouse management, post, delivery and cargo handling. The number of those who had to apply for top-up benefits as employees subject to social insurance also remained high among the sales people.

The median average earnings in some systemically important occupations have also decreased accordingly. The so-called median for professions for postal and delivery services was 2593 euros in 2019, and ten euros lower in 2020 at 2583 euros. In contrast, there were significantly higher earnings in nursing. Nursing carers earned an average of 3610 euros in 2020, 93 euros more than in 2019. Geriatric nurses earned an average of 134 euros more – 2912 euros in 2020.

“Everyday heroes stand in line at the social welfare office”

In addition to the around 476,000 employees subject to social security contributions, there were also around 259,000 exclusively marginally employed and around 78,000 self-employed who were entitled to an increase, according to the ministry’s response.

“The heroes of everyday life are often queuing in the social welfare office,” criticized Bartsch. “The fact that tens of thousands of nurses, salespeople and parcel deliverers have to increase their supplies in the middle of the pandemic because their wages are not enough to live on is the height of hypocrisy.” The left parliamentary group leader called on Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil from the SPD to present a plan for higher wages in systemically important professions.

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