Christoph Schmidt, director of the RWI‑Leibniz Institute in Essen, has called for a fundamental reform of Germany’s minijobs. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” in its Monday edition, he warned that minijobs are problematic from an economic‑policy perspective because their exemption from tax and social‑security contributions creates perverse incentives. “They particularly hinder dual earners and encourage side jobs instead of additional regular working hours” Schmidt explained. He added that the state should not privilege any particular employment model; a more consistent approach would be either to abolish minijobs entirely or restrict them to students, pupils and retirees.
At the upcoming federal party conference, the CDU’s employee wing (CDA) is demanding that minijobs be converted into regular employment relations.
