Table 2 Important institutional changes concerning older workers: retirement and umemployment benefits since 1994
From: Germany—No Country for Old Workers?Germany—No Country for Old Workers?
Retirement | |
1994 | Lengthering of regulation which imply that unemployed being 58 or older have not to be at the disposal of unemployment agencies and are not counted as unemployed (until 2000) |
Raising of retirement age for unemployed workers or for persons after partly retirement from 63 to 65 years (stepwise 2000 until 2001) | |
1997 | Raising of retirement age for women from 60 to 65 years (stepwise 2000 until 2004) |
Raising of retirement age for long-term insured from 63 to 65 years (stepwise 2000 until 2001) | |
1999 | Raising of retirement age for disabled |
2000 | Lengthering of regulation which imply that unemployed being 58 or older have not to be at the disposal of unemployed agencies and are not counted as unemployed (until 2005) |
2001 | Reform of pensions for persons who are not capable for work |
2005 | Lengthering of regulation which imply that unemployed being 58 or older have not to be at the disposal of unemployed agencies and are not counted as unemployed (until 2007) |
2008 | Raising of general retirement age from 65 to 67 years (stepwise from 2012 until 2029) |
2009 | End of public subsidies for partial retirement schemes |
Unemployment benefits | |
2004 | Lower duration of unemployment benefits for older workers (from a maximum of 32 months to a maximum of 18 months) |
2005 | Social Code II: Fusion of social welfare and unemployment assistance: Labor market policy focuses more on activation and demands more efforts and contributions from the unemployed. The potential threat of becoming a recipient of unemployment benefits II (UB II) puts more pressure on accepting job offers and wage losses at an earlier stage. Risk of long-term unemployment decreases. |
2008 | Longer duration of unemployment benefits for older workers (from a maximum of 18 months to a maximum of 24 months) |