摘要：In January 2005 the Social Code Book II came into effect in Germany. It introduced the new unemployment benefit II (Arbeitslosengeld II) as a major element and final stage of a series of labour market reforms termed the Hartz reforms which aimed at flexibilization of the German labour market andgranted(re)integrationof persons inneed intothe labour market precedence over pure economic subsidies. The new means tested benefit integrated the former social assistance (a welfare benefit) and the former unemployment assistance for long-term unemployed persons whose entitlement to un- employment insurance payments had expired. Its paradigm is summarized in the slogan “support and challenge” (in German “fördern und fordern”). Support for integration into employment was extended to groups that had formerly been far detached from the labour market. On the other hand sta- tus protection regulations were disestablished and pressure on recipients to take up any reasonable employment was in- creased by the introduction of benefit sanctions and active labour market programmes designed to test work motiva- tion.
