The Effects of Caseworker Discretion and Caseworker Strategies in the German Unemployment Insurance and Basic Social Assistance Systems

Evaluation of active labour market policy has advanced very successfully in Germany in recent years. In particular, the effects of labour market programmes such as training and subsidies on integration into employment have been thoroughly investigated. By contrast, the process of individual counselling and job placement remains a black box and little is known about the effects of discretion and strategies applied by caseworkers at the local employment agencies and job centres.

This study is meant as a pilot study exploring the feasibility of a larger representative study for the whole of Germany. It is based on a survey among about 1000 caseworkers in selected job centres and employment agencies. Survey data are linked with administrative data on the caseworkers’ clients. This allows estimating econometrically the success of the caseworkers’ perceptions, strategies and approaches elicited in the survey on individuals’ labour market success.

Report: IAB-Forschungsbericht 7/2013