Information:
- Customers can still contact their Jobcenter and Agentur für Arbeit
- Telephone and online access to be strengthened and expanded
- Personal contact to be reduced
In order to continue providing our most important services in the current situation, local branches of the Agentur für Arbeit and Jobcenter (jointly run institutions) will now be concentrating on processing and approving applications for cash benefits.
We are building the infrastructure to answer your questions and concerns without the need for personal contact. We want to do our part to contain the pandemic and promote everyone’s health and safety while ensuring the payment of cash benefits in this difficult situation.
In light of the current situation, we have the following information for everyone who uses the Jobcenter (jointly run institutions) and Agentur für Arbeit:
1. Personal meetings:
Our offices will remain open for personal meetings in emergencies. You can also register as unemployed over the phone. You can post an informal application for basic security benefits in the letterbox at your local office.
All personal appointments have now been cancelled without legal consequences. You do NOT have to cancel these appointments yourself – you do not even have to call us on the matter.
You can submit your informal applications via email or by using our eServices (www.arbeitsagentur.de/eServices), or you can post them in the letterbox at your local branch. You will not be penalised for failing to attend an appointment.
Please only visit your local office in an emergency.
2. You can call us to discuss your concerns – and even register as unemployed
All personal meetings to register as unemployed have been cancelled for the time being at the local offices of the Agentur für Arbeit. You can register as unemployed over the phone.
You will also find:
- applications for unemployment benefits (Arbeitslosengeld I) at www.arbeitsagentur.de/eservices
- re-applications for basic security benefits at https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/arbeitslos-arbeit-finden/arbeitslosengeld-2
We will set up additional local hotlines as quickly as possible and provide more information on our website and in national and local newspapers.
As we will need a few days to strengthen the technical capacity of our hotline to deal with the expected volume of calls, our availability might be limited at times.
3. No financial disadvantages; payments are guaranteed
If appointments are cancelled or personal contact is not possible, our customers will not suffer any financial disadvantages. We will do our best to act as unbureaucratically and flexibly at this difficult time to ensure payments to anyone who relies on cash benefits from the Jobcenter or Agentur für Arbeit.
The same applies to the payment of child benefits and child allowance.
Our working capacity is ensured. The reliable payment of cash benefits is our main priority.