Leistungen A-Z

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance necessary: No
Online services available: Yes

There are 2 situations in the labor market in which you can be treated as a severely disabled person:

• You would like to have a job or
• You would like to keep your job.

With equal status, you basically have the same status as severely disabled people.

This means that, for example

• special protection against dismissal
• assistance with workplace equipment
• Support from special specialist services
• Employment incentives for employers (such as wage cost subsidies)

However, additional leave, free local public transport and special retirement pensions are excluded.

If you enjoy special protection against dismissal, for example because you work as a civil servant in the public sector, you must be able to justify why you wish to be treated in the same way as severely disabled people. For example, you must be able to clearly explain why your job is less secure than that of a non-disabled colleague due to your disability. There must be specific disability-related reasons, for example if you are threatened with early retirement due to your disability.

• You are a person with disabilities and have a degree of disability of less than 50, but at least 30
• You are legally resident in Germany or you are legally staying in Germany or you are legally employed in Germany.
• You are unable to find a suitable job because of your disability or your job is at risk because of your disability. Indications that your job is at risk due to your disability may be, for example
  • Repeated/frequent absences due to disability
  • Permanently reduced resilience
  • Disability-related restricted mobility
  • Permanent need for support from colleagues
  • Recognizable reactions of the employer to the disability-related restrictions (e.g. warnings).
• There is a special regulation for disabled young people and young adults during the period of their vocational training or professional orientation: they do not have to apply for equal status, as they are automatically granted equal status by law if the requirements are met. However, this equal status only applies to benefits provided by the Integration Office in the context of vocational orientation and vocational training (bonuses and subsidies towards the costs of vocational training).

• Proof of the required degree of disability, e.g. a copy of your assessment certificate.
• Please refer to the application form for further information on the proof or documents required. Your employment agency may request further documents when processing your application.

To be treated as a severely disabled person, proceed as follows:

• You can submit the application for equal status informally, i.e. in person, by telephone or in writing to the local employment agency.
• You will then receive a form in which you have to answer a few questions so that the employment agency can check the requirements.
• You can also submit the application online.
• The employment agency will check your application. Once you have submitted the application to secure your job, your employer and - if available - the works council or staff council and the representative body for severely disabled employees will be asked about the specific workplace situation. However, this requires that you have given your prior consent. You will find the relevant declaration of consent in the application form.
• You will receive written notification of whether your application has been approved or rejected.

The Federal Employment Agency in whose district you live is responsible. You can find the office of the Federal Employment Agency responsible for you using the office finder on the Federal Employment Agency's website.

• § Section 2 (3) of the Ninth Book of the German Social Code (SGB IX)
• § Section 151 (2), (3) and (4) of the Ninth Book of the German Social Code (SGB IX)

• Information on applying for equal treatment and equal treatment with severely disabled people on the website of the Federal Employment Agency
• Technical directives of the Federal Employment Agency: Services for participation in working life in accordance with Section 2 SGB IX
• Technical instructions from the Federal Employment Agency: Services for participation in working life in accordance with Section 151 SGB IX

Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS)