Neuorientierung der Arbeitsmarktpolitik : Die Neuausrichtung der arbeitsmarktpolitischen Instrumente aus dem Jahr 2009 im Blickpunkt: Mehr Flexibilität und größere Handlungsspielräume für die Vermittler?

"This paper deals with the strategic reorientation concerning the instruments of active labor market policy in Germany which came into force at January 1st 2009. The main objective of this reform was to streamline the portfolio of existing instruments and make it more transparent and clearly structured. Moreover, caseworkers in local job offices are to be granted more discretion and flexibility than prior to the reforms. The authors address the question whether the implementation of more discretionary power was successful, and which of the implementation's characteristics prove to be crucial for attaining this goal. To this purpose, expert interviews with caseworkers, their superior officers (team leaders) and members of the board were conducted in 14 local job offices. The study is based on the methodological concept of the socalled 'scientific source text' ('wissenschaftlicher Quellentext') which was used to analyze and interpret the interviews. Empirically, the authors find that the reform did not induce fundamental changes concerning the instruments of active labor market policy while the special budget for the support of job search activities ('Vermittlungsbudget') according to § 45 SGB III can be regarded as an innovation. Caseworkers especially stress the conflict between compliance to the rules and the considerable autonomy involved in the everyday practice of street-level bureaucrats. Rules aimed at structuring discretional leeway in the local job offices (so-called 'Ermessenslenkende Weisungen') help define the relative concept of discretion, because they include instructions already valid before the reforms. Finally, it is remarkable to note that § 16f SGB II does not play an important role after the reform." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))