employment agency
Unemployment benefits might be eliminated for the unvaccinated
Head of the employment agency Detlef Scheele: If vaccination is mandatory, employers can reject unvaccinated people. Photo: Kay Nietfeld/dpa
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What does it mean for unvaccinated workers when vaccination becomes mandatory? Employment agency boss Scheele expects serious consequences.
The CEO of the Federal Employment Agency, Detlef Scheele, also sees consequences for the labor market if a general corona vaccination is introduced.
“Only when there is a general obligation to vaccinate and violations also have legal consequences can employers reject an applicant because he has not been vaccinated or recovered,” Scheele told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “We, as a federal agency, must then check whether a lack of vaccination leads to a blocking period.” A blocking period means that an unemployed person does not receive unemployment benefits for a certain period of time.
SPD checks proof of vaccination
The SPD parliamentary group also has an eye on the consequences for the labor market. “We are currently examining very closely, together with the Federal Ministry of Labor, whether we are anchoring the obligation to provide proof of vaccination for employers,” said health policy spokeswoman Heike Baehrens of the “Stuttgarter Zeitung” and the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten”. “It would probably be more effective than a fine if health authorities forbade unvaccinated employees from entering their company – but I can hardly imagine that for the entire labor market, rather for certain sectors and institutions,” she explained.
At the same time, however, it is also the goal “that the vaccination requirement works and companies can go regarding their business once more without staff shortages”. A spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Labor told the two newspapers that “talks are currently taking place within the federal government” with regard to the consequences under labor law.
Scheele had explained that the vaccination status of employees currently has no effect on the labor market, “because there is currently no corresponding legal basis”. With the introduction of a general obligation to vaccinate, however, the situation will change. “Just as the 3G status must currently be queried at the workplace, employers will then have the right to check the 2G status. This possibility does not currently exist, »said Scheele.
In an orientation debate on Wednesday, the Bundestag discussed in detail for the first time the introduction of general corona vaccination in Germany. The traffic light coalition has agreed that the deputies should deliberate and decide in a free vote without the usual group guidelines. A decision might be made according to SPD plans in March.